


Rose Island Romance (or, "Cute Boys Don't Grow On Trees But They Do Like to Sail")

by flowerfan



Category: Glee
Genre: AU, First Meeting, Kurt Hummel Big Bang, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-27
Updated: 2015-10-27
Packaged: 2018-04-24 10:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4916605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerfan/pseuds/flowerfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU.  Exhausted from city life, and frustrated at his inability to get a good part in summer stock, NYADA student Kurt Hummel decides to spend the summer on a small New England island helping his uncle at Hummel Marine.  When a cute boy in a tight polo shirt brings in his outboard engine for repairs, Kurt begins to think that summer on the sleepy island might hold some excitement after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Kurt Hummel Big Bang 2015. Many thanks to my wonderful beta, perry avenue, for all of her patience and willingness to review draft after draft, and to klaineitupanotch for creating the beautiful cover art and fanmix (http://8tracks.com/elfinder/rose-island-romance-fanmix) to go with this story. 
> 
> Warnings: Some discussion of homophobia, injury, recovery.

Kurt walked down to the dock, enjoying the cool breeze that had come up as the evening approached. The boatyard was only about half full, with a few dozen sailboats of varying sizes and a handful of powerboats tied up along the floating docks. It had been a quiet day for his uncle’s marine engine repair business, midweek early in the summer season, but his uncle assured him that things would pick up soon.

Kurt had only been on Rose Island for a few weeks, but the calm was already affecting him. The noise and stress of the city felt distant, and the peaceful view of the wide harbor was becoming as familiar as his neighborhood coffee shop back in Bushwick.

He found a spot on the edge of the dock, and closed his eyes, breathing in the salt air, lightly laced with the scent of the scrappy wild roses that grew along the shore. He had declined his uncle’s offer to give him a ride back to the house, figuring he might do some sketching tonight, or just walk along the rocky beach between the marina and ferry dock. It was too nice a day to go inside yet.

Caught up in his own thoughts, enjoying the feel of the warm sun on his face, Kurt was startled by a thump. Kurt opened his eyes and squinted at the dinghy bouncing along the edge of the dock, its skipper awkwardly trying to steady it.

“Oh, hi!” The guy in the dinghy flashed a shy smile at Kurt, and sat back abruptly on his heels, causing the boat to rock precariously. “I don’t suppose you could give me a hand? It’s okay to tie up here, right?”

Kurt stood and reached for the line the young man was holding out. He was startlingly handsome, with dark curls tamed with gel, and a sweet smile. He was also dressed considerably better than most of the kids Kurt had seen messing around the boatyard, wearing a dark red polo tucked neatly into pleated khaki shorts. As his visitor scrambled up on to the dock, taking the line back from Kurt and winding it around the cleat, Kurt couldn’t help but notice how nicely that polo accentuated the man’s shapely biceps. Then Kurt got a whiff of his cologne, and suddenly Kurt wished he was wearing something more grown-up himself. The “Hummel Marine” t-shirt with grease spots on the hem wasn’t exactly his first choice for a meet-cute.

“Thanks. I’m Blaine,” the guy said, standing and holding out his hand. His eyes sparkled in the late afternoon light, and Kurt found himself wanting to spend some quality time assessing exactly what shade those lovely eyes were. He shook his head, trying to focus as he automatically shook the boy’s hand. It might be helpful if he actually formed some words.

“Hi. I’m Kurt.” 

“Do you work here?” The guy – Blaine – glanced down at Kurt’s shirt. “The outboard conked out, and as much as rowing all the way across the harbor is a good workout, I was hoping to get it fixed.”

Kurt’s heart fell. The cutie was only looking for a mechanic, and that’s who he saw when he looked at Kurt. Par for the course, he supposed.

“I do work here, but we’re closed for the day. Can you come back tomorrow?” At least then he’d get to see him again. Kurt’s fleeting moment with the best looking customer he had seen all week was interrupted all too soon, however.

“Dude! There you are!” A shirtless guy with amazing abs and messy blond hair came running down the dock and nearly crashed into Blaine. Where had these gorgeous people come from? Was there a modeling agency doing a shoot on the island? And why hadn’t Kurt been informed?

“Sam, hey.” Blaine blushed – actually blushed – as this Sam guy gave him an enthusiastic sideways hug, and then ran his hand down Blaine’s back, practically patting him on the ass. Ah, so that’s how it was.

“This is Kurt,” Blaine said to Sam, leaning into him – or maybe just knocked off balance, it was hard to tell. “I’m hoping he can fix my engine.”

Sam gave Blaine a confused look, and then glanced over at the dinghy. “Oh – that engine! Cool. But Ryder’s here now, he’s got the car to drive us over. We’re supposed to stop and pick something up before we go to his house.” Sam searched his pockets, seemingly unconcerned when he couldn’t find what he was looking for. “Ryder knows where. Hurry up, okay?” Sam slapped Blaine on the back, flashed Kurt a quick smile, and jogged back off the dock towards the parking lot.

Blaine looked at Kurt apologetically. “Sorry about that. Sam can be a little… overwhelming.”

Kurt nodded. “I can see that. Nice taste in clothes, though.”

Blaine laughed, and Kurt catalogued the sound as something he definitely wanted to hear again. “He’s convinced that summertime means he doesn’t ever have to wear a shirt. I’ve got him covered, though.” Blaine crouched down and fished a backpack out of the dinghy, one hand on the pylon to keep him from toppling into the water. “I didn’t think Ryder’s parents would be impressed by him showing up shirtless to their party.” 

How thoughtful, Kurt thought. Blaine probably dresses Sam for all their dates. And then undresses him…

Blaine glanced at Kurt, then over to where Sam was waving at him. “Guess I better get going. That is, if it’s okay to leave the boat here?”

“Sure, no problem,” Kurt found himself saying, even though technically speaking people weren’t allowed to tie up at the shop’s section of the dock unless they were customers. But Blaine was a customer, or at least he would be soon, right? 

“I’ll stop by tomorrow morning?” Blaine was walking backwards away from him, and Kurt had a sudden image of Blaine tipping over the edge of the dock, splashing into the water, and Kurt diving gracefully in to save him. Blaine would then have to thank him appropriately, of course, perhaps with a candlelight dinner.

But that wasn’t going to happen. “Sure, sounds good.”

And with that, Blaine was gone, dashing off to join his date and their friend, heading off to who knows where for a night of well heeled shananigans. Kurt sighed. Hopefully he’d be back tomorrow. Blaine might be taken, but at least he and his beau were pretty to look at. A little eye candy among all the beach bums wasn’t a bad thing. Blaine would probably be gone in a few days anyway, cruising off to his next destination, just like most of the tourists that visited the island. Getting attached would be a bad idea, and definitely not in line with the zen approach to the summer Kurt had planned. The next eight weeks were for detoxing from city life, not obsessing about a boy, no matter how cute he might be.

As the night wore on, however, Kurt found it impossible to keep from thinking about Blaine. He wasn’t sure if his uncle noticed, but his cousin certainly did. She kept shooting him pointed looks during dinner, and when they were cleaning up afterwards, alone in the farmhouse kitchen, she apparently couldn’t take it any longer.

“So, spill it, Kurt.” Molly tossed her hair over her shoulder and struck a pose, looking remarkably like Santana, if Santana was blond, freckled, and sixteen years old.

“Spill what?” Kurt generally liked Molly quite a bit, especially now that her level of snark rivaled his own, but he still wasn’t sure he wanted to share today’s events with her.

“Whatever’s making you so distracted. I swear, you nearly put ketchup on your salad, and I think you just put the napkins away in the refrigerator.”

Kurt grimaced, and retrieved the package of paper napkins from the vegetable drawer. “Sorry. Just thinking.”

“Duh. About what?” Molly sat down at the kitchen table, and motioned for Kurt to do the same. “You know, I’ve spent every summer here for my whole life. I might actually know something that could help you, if you tell me what’s bothering you.”

“I’m not sure this is an island-specific problem,” Kurt said, weighing his options. On the one hand, Molly might not be very experienced with college boys – he certainly hoped not, anyway. On the other, she was really his only friend for the summer, and since he didn’t have Rachel and Santana to talk to, he might as well give her a try.

“Fine. But don’t tell your dad, okay?” Uncle Martin was pretty cool about most things, but Kurt didn’t want him thinking he came to the island just to mess around with tourists. He had a job to do, after all.

Molly gave him a look. “Of course not, who do you think I am?”

Kurt smiled, and scooted his chair closer to hers, enjoying the anticipation on Molly’s face. “I met a cute boy this afternoon.”

She squealed and gave an accompanying bounce. “I knew it! Want to know the best places to go to make out? There’s a cove off of Corn Hill Road, the path to the beach is hard to find but that makes it even better because hardly anyone goes there, as long as you watch out for the poison ivy…”

“Whoa, hold your horses – and how would you know such things?”

“I’m sixteen, not ten,” Molly scoffed. “Please.”

“Well, we’re not quite to that stage. Plus, he’s got a boyfriend. And who knows how long he’ll even be here? I might not even see him again. And why would he date a mechanic?”

Molly laughed. “Any other barriers to your relationship you’d like to erect before you get started?”

Kurt pretended to think for a moment, then counted off on his fingers. “Well, he’s probably rich, is just visiting from Palo Alto, and is sailing off to Nantucket tomorrow to get married on the beach at sunset to his fiancé who happens to be an underwear model.”

Molly leaned back in her chair and sighed. “That sounds nice, doesn’t it? Does he have a brother?”

“I don’t know. I actually don’t know the first thing about him.”

“Well, then, that might be a good place to start, wouldn’t it?”

*****

The next morning Kurt woke up a little bit earlier than usual, determined to do his best within the limits of Hummel Marine chic. He turned this way and that in front of his mirror, enjoying the warm breeze that ruffled the curtains of his bedroom. It was nice being able to leave the windows open without also inviting in the unpleasant smells and jarring noises of the city.

Rose Island was known for its quiet and sedate calm, and so far, it was living up to its reputation. Although it was only fourteen miles east of the end of Long Island, and a half day’s trip by train and ferry from New York City, it felt like an entirely different world. Gone was the rush and flurry of city life, replaced by clean air, blue skies, and a dash of salt and sand for seasoning. 

His uncle had a sprawling farmhouse near the southeast corner of the island, with plenty of extra space for visitors. The room Kurt was staying in had a view of rolling hills with stone walls leading off into the distance. Although he couldn’t see the ocean from the house, there were often horses in the neighboring field, giving the whole place a very rustic feel.

But rustic was not what Kurt was going for today, not if he wanted to impress Mr. Tight Polo Shirt. He put a little more product in his hair, coaxing it up into something resembling his regular city style, and paired his t-shirt with some narrow dark jeans that Rachel always told him made his ass look fantastic. He hadn’t highlighted his hair in months, and had hoped that maybe the summer sun would do it for him, but so far all that his time outside had accomplished was to bring out a few more freckles. Nothing that a bit of carefully daubed concealer wouldn’t cover, however. Kurt put a measured layer of oil-free sunscreen over all his exposed skin, and then a bit of spray on his hair, and he was ready to go.

Deciding that riding his bike was out of the question this morning – Kurt was a firm believer in wearing a helmet whenever he rode, but that would completely wreck his hair – he accepted a ride from his uncle, climbing into the passenger seat of the truck while Molly begrudgingly got into the narrow back seat. They chatted casually as they drove to the boatyard, Kurt marveling at his uncle’s profile – while there was a strong family resemblance, Martin had somehow managed to retain his now graying hair, even though he was a few years older than Kurt’s father. Kurt hoped that boded well for his own hair; he had no desire to start balding at thirty like his dad. 

When they got to the shop, Martin parked the truck out back, and sent Kurt and Molly down to the dock. While Kurt was familiar with the basics of the kind of work that Martin did – an engine was an engine, as far as he was concerned – what he was less familiar with was the whole idea that these engines were on unstable, floating platforms, some of which seemed awfully precarious. Luckily Molly had been working on boats for years, and was more than willing to show Kurt the ropes. Or lines, as she explained; once you bring a rope onto a vessel, you call it a line, not a rope. Kurt had just nodded. This wasn’t what he was used to, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t be good at it, and he had no problem with learning new things. 

That was one of his main goals this summer, anyway – doing something different. Because even if trying the same thing over and over and failing wasn’t the definition of insanity, but was instead just what an actor had to accept, he was willing to admit that he needed a break. He had just finished his second year at NYADA, and despite successes in school, he was once again, for the third year in a row, entirely unable to land a part in summer stock. While his boss at Vogue would have been happy to have him slave away in an air conditioned prison of an office cubby fifty hours a week, Kurt had been hoping for a change of pace. Add to that a drawn-out breakup with a guy he had kept trying to convince himself might turn out to be someone special, even though he knew all along that he wasn’t, and Kurt was definitely ready for a break.

When his father had suggested spending the summer with his uncle, making himself useful in an entirely different way that might also give him a chance to recharge and relax, it had sounded perfect. He and Rachel sublet their apartment, locked their valuables into a closet, and took off for sunnier shores. So what if Rachel’s summer theater gig in the Berkshires was a bit more career oriented than Kurt’s plans? College was about expanding your horizons, and frankly, the horizons on the island were more beautiful than any sight Kurt had seen in a long time.

As Kurt and Molly reached the dock and headed over to their slip, Molly stopped him with a grin. “You’ve just got a…” she picked a piece of lint off his shoulder – probably imaginary – and reached up to pat at his hair. “All set.”

“You think you’re funny,” Kurt murmured, but he couldn’t help but walk a little straighter as they proceeded. He didn’t know if Blaine would be here quite this early, but it couldn’t hurt to put his best food forward.

Kurt was surprised, however, to find that Blaine’s dinghy wasn’t there. 

“Kurt? Something wrong?” Molly asked.

“His boat’s gone.” 

Molly didn’t have to ask who Kurt was referring to. “Well, duh, he had to get back to wherever he came from last night.”

“No, he asked if he could leave it here overnight.”

Molly gave Kurt a perplexed look. “That doesn’t make any sense. Didn’t he come in on a boat? You know, a sailboat or something, anchored out in the harbor?”

Kurt sighed. “I don’t know.”

“You didn’t write it down?” 

“I didn’t even ask him.”

Shaking her head, Molly wandered off and struck up a conversation with Alan, the boy who sold coffee and pastries in the mornings, while Kurt unlocked the cabinet where they kept paperwork and tools. Molly was right – if someone wanted work done, especially if they were leaving a boat with him, Kurt was supposed to have them fill out a form. The form, among other things, would have let him know how to contact Blaine. So many cruisers came through just for a few days at a time, and his uncle didn’t want to get stuck with all the little outboards when their owners took off sailing for the day, or the week. Or the season. Their dock only had so much space.

But now Kurt had the opposite problem. Instead of being stuck with a boat and no one to claim it, he didn’t even have the boat.

Molly returned, holding out a cup of coffee which Kurt accepted with a grateful nod. “Maybe he’ll show up,” she said encouragingly. “You can take the first shift at receptionist duty. I’ll bring this stuff up to dad.” She pulled a folder out of the cabinet and headed back up towards the shop.

“Receptionist duty,” as Molly liked to call it, basically involved sitting at the dock in case a customer showed up. Kurt didn’t mind it, especially early in the morning before the sun got stronger. And maybe Molly was right, and Blaine would be back. But somehow, he didn’t think so.

The morning dragged, but in the afternoon Martin took Kurt with him to work on a large powerboat at the neighboring marina, which definitely helped pass the time. Molly stayed back at the shop, talking to customers and relaying messages back and forth to Martin. 

While the boatyard where his uncle had his shop was fairly no-nonsense, the marina on the west side of the harbor was decidedly more swanky, with several restaurants, a pool and snack bar, and a small hotel on the shore. The party atmosphere was emphasized by the bar on the end of the dock, which seemed to value volume over quality as far as the music blasting from its speakers was concerned. 

Luckily the boat they were working on was far enough away from the main dock that the music wasn’t deafening, especially when they went inside. Kurt still couldn’t believe how much some of these boats – yachts, he supposed – had cabins that looked like they could be featured on some reality show about celebrity homes. Molly liked to gossip about the owners of some of the really impressive ones, although often times they weren’t names that Kurt was familiar with. Broadway stars didn’t have the time or the money for this kind of thing, he figured. And apparently the most famous people – like the Obamas or Brad Pitt - skipped over their modest little island and went straight for the more famous vacation spots. 

As impressive as this yacht was, working on the engine was still a sweaty job, and Kurt was glad that they were able to spot the problem with the gas line and fix it fairly quickly. The owner offered them a drink, but his uncle declined, and they headed back to the shop. “Looks like the movie theater’s open for the season,” Martin commented as they walked up the path to where they had left the truck. “You and Molly should see what’s playing. Give you something to do.”

Kurt nodded, his mind snapping back to the thought he had thankfully been able to put aside for the past few hours. Blaine. He would have liked to have asked Blaine to see a movie with him. But he was so many steps away from that even being a possibility, it was pointless to think about. 

Later that night, Kurt found himself sitting out on his uncle’s porch swing, idly rocking himself back and forth. He had been having a perfectly pleasant time here on the island until he got distracted by Blaine, and he just needed to un-distract himself. There were cute boys everywhere, right? Even cute boys with beautiful eyes and a smile that made his heart skip a beat. He wasn’t here to flirt, he was here to decompress and help out his uncle. 

Kurt stopped rocking and took a deep breath. Blaine was no different than dozens of cute boys he had run into over the past few years – unattainable, and not worth worrying over. He was just about to go inside and work on some of the summer reading he had brought with him when Molly stuck her head out the door.

“Can I join you?”

“Of course.” Kurt slid over on the swing and Molly sat down tentatively next to him.

“You may want to kill me in a minute, but there’s lots of reasons why you shouldn’t, okay?”

Kurt smiled. Apparently he wasn’t the only dramatic one in the family.

“I’ll try to keep that in mind. Why am I going to want to kill you?”

She held out a piece of paper. “This was at the shop this morning, dropped through the mail slot. I stuck it in my bag and completely forgot about it until now, when I went looking for my sunglasses.” 

Kurt took the paper. It was a note, folded in thirds, with his name on the front in neat handwriting. His heart immediately started thumping. 

“I’m really sorry,” Molly went on. “If it’s bad – there’s a Ben & Jerry’s place in town. It’s probably still open, and I’m sure dad would let us take the truck.”

Kurt meant to laugh, but it came out as sort of a strangled hiccup. “Thanks, Molly.” He paused, hoping she would go back inside and let him read his letter in peace, but she didn’t seem to be going anywhere. Kurt bit the bullet and unfolded the note, resting his elbows on his knees to steady himself.

_Kurt –_

_Change of plans – apparently good wind can’t be wasted, and we’re heading out early today. I’m not going to be able to bring the dinghy back for a few days, but I hope you’re still there when I do. Thanks for letting me use your dock._

_Blaine_

Kurt re-read the letter a second time, trying to decipher any hidden meaning. _I hope you’re still there when I do_ was definitely his favorite part. It had to mean that Blaine wanted to see _him,_ not just that he hoped he could still get his engine repaired when he came back, right?

Molly was practically vibrating next to him. “Can I see it? It’s definitely from Blaine, isn’t it? What did he say?”

Kurt handed her the note, and she scanned it quickly.

“Oooh, he likes you! I knew it!” 

Kurt retrieved the paper from Molly’s flailing arms, not wanting it to be blown away. “I don’t know about that.”

“He definitely does. No question.” She squealed a little. “This is just like in Mamma Mia when they all sing about what the mom wrote in her diary. We should sing about it!”

Kurt laughed. Molly’s excitement was contagious, if a bit manic. He’d have to introduce her to Rachel at some point. “We’re not singing about it.” Although Kurt might be doing a little internal dance of joy right now, he wasn’t going to go crazy. “He was probably just being polite.”

“Are you kidding? This isn’t just being polite. Customers change their minds about getting stuff fixed all the time. Nobody ever leaves love notes about it!”

“Molly, this is not a love note.”

“Fine. But it’s not a hate note, either. And it’s definitely closer to love on the scale, don’t you think?”

Kurt sighed, thinking of the way Blaine’s face lit up when he smiled. “It would be nice to think so. But I only met the guy once. We talked for all of five minutes.”

“Well, it may be a little soon to plan the wedding,” Molly conceded. “But I’ve got a ton of ideas for awesome first dates.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is no Rose Island in this location, but Block Island, R.I. is there, and it is lovely.


	2. Chapter 2

Over the next few days, Kurt tried to keep his mind off Blaine, as well as the note he had folded back up and placed carefully inside a dresser drawer. Molly did a good job of distracting him, taking him on a bicycle tour of the island one evening that had him dying to start making some sketches. The colors and textures of the island appealed to him – from the rocky cliffs on the south shore, to the sunsets that looked like the ocean was lit on fire. He was filled with inspiration. He even got up early one morning and sat with his pad by the dock as the sun came up, trying to capture the way the lemon yellow light gradually illuminated the gently lapping waves.

By the end of the week, Kurt knew coming to the island for the summer had been a good idea. While it had taken him a little while to get used to the rhythm of things here, he now felt calmer than he had in ages, more in tune with himself. It wasn’t just the type of relaxation that came with an afternoon of watching reality television, it was instead a feeling of balance that he knew had been missing, but hadn’t known how to find. 

Tugging at the edge of his mind, however, was still the thought that somewhere out there, sailing from port to port, was a cute boy in a tight polo shirt who might want to be his friend. It sounded so middle school to think about it that way, but really, who couldn’t use a friend? Maybe Blaine could never be anything more, maybe he lived halfway around the world and this whole thing was pointless, but on the other hand, maybe he’d want to go grab a cup of coffee and talk. That would be fine with Kurt. Not ideal, but fine. And if Kurt made sure that his hair looked good every day, well, good hair care was certainly not at odds with maintaining inner balance.

Friday dawned dark and cloudy. Kurt was slow getting ready for the day, which he chalked up to the lack of sunlight which usually made his bedroom so cheerful in the morning. He pulled a royal blue NYADA sweatshirt on over his shirt, and made it out to the kitchen just as Martin and Molly were finishing breakfast.

“Could be a tough day today,” Martin said, tossing Kurt a yellow raincoat. “There’s a storm coming through. People get nervous when the wind comes up.”

“Do we need to do anything special?” Kurt asked, following his uncle and cousin out to the truck.

“We’ll play it by ear. Any problems actually caused by the storm won’t show up until it’s over. But be careful down on the dock, there might be a lot of movement. Not everyone knows how to handle their boat in a stiff breeze.”

Kurt refrained from mentioning that he really didn’t know how to handle a boat at all, but his uncle seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“I’ll join you guys on the dock if it gets rough. And if it gets too windy, we won’t be accepting any new customers. Don’t be afraid to call me if you need help, okay?”

Kurt nodded, looking to Molly for reassurance. Unfortunately she looked more worried than Kurt felt.

It hadn’t started raining by the time they got to the boatyard, so Kurt and Molly just carried their rainjackets with them, stuffing them inside the cabinet once they got it open. Molly still had a nervous look on her face, so Kurt got a few hot chocolates and an apple turnover to split from Alan, and pulled her over to sit on the edge of the dock.

“You okay?”

Molly shrugged, pulling the pastry in half and handing Kurt a piece. “It’s no big deal. I just don’t like thunder.” She looked around at all the sailboats tied up to the dock, their rigging starting to clang in the breeze. “Or lightning. Or big wind, or big waves…”

Kurt bumped his shoulder up against hers. “So you’re really psyched about this storm, then?”

She huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, for sure.”

“If it starts to get bad, you’ll go up to the shop though, right?”

She shrugged again. “Usually Dad gets one of the weekend guys to help out if it’s storming. But I heard him on the phone with Jerry and Felix this morning, and neither one of them could come. He said Joe might be able to get here this afternoon, if he got someone to cover his parents’ shop. But if no one else can come help, it’s just going to be us.”

Like many tourist businesses, the shop was always busier on the weekends, when the guys who Kurt thought of as “professional” help came in. This way Kurt and Molly got some time off, too, although Martin encouraged Kurt to take some time during the week as well, wanting him to make the most of his summer on the island. Kurt really hadn’t had a reason to do so yet, especially since he was still learning the business.

Kurt wasn’t sure how to assuage Molly’s fears about the storm, however, since he really didn’t know what to expect himself. “Maybe it won’t be so bad.”

“I wouldn’t count on that,” a voice said, making both of them jump.

Kurt turned to see Blaine standing behind him on the dock, his dinghy already tied up behind him.

“Blaine! Hi!”

“Hi yourself.” Blaine was smiling broadly, and he looked almost as if he was about to hug Kurt, but settled for a friendly nod. “From what I hear, it’s really going to blow. Is it okay if I just leave this here for you to look at?” He gestured to the dinghy behind him, which the wind was pushing up tight against the dock. “There’s no rush, you don’t have to do it during the storm or anything.”

Kurt just smiled at him, admiring his dark green polo and wondering if the boy had a whole closet full of them. Or duffel bag, or whatever these boat people used to store their clothes. Luckily Molly had the wherewithal to actually answer Blaine.

“Sure, we can look at it later. Let’s just get another line on it,” Molly said, securing a rope around another cleat and leaping easily into the boat to attach the line to the stern. She was done in a moment, and gave Kurt a quick look before smirking and walking back towards the shore. “Kurt, I’ll be right back, okay?”

Subtle, Kurt thought. He turned to Blaine, who was apparently thinking the same thing.

“Your sister?” Blaine asked, shoving his hands in the pockets of his khaki shorts.

“Cousin,” Kurt replied. “But she knows about a hundred times more about boats than I do, so she’s got a right to be a little smug.”

“Is this your summer job, then?”

Kurt nodded. “I grew up around engines, so that part’s familiar enough. But marine repair isn’t my life’s dream.”

Blaine’s face grew soft, and he stepped closer to Kurt, his eyes wide with interest. “Oh? What is your life’s dream?”

Kurt felt his heart beat faster at the boy’s proximity, but they were rudely interrupted by the shrill blast of an air horn.

“Shoot – I have to go.” Blaine looked wildly around for the launch, which was preparing to leave at the end of the dock. “Ryder’s dad wanted me to come right back, we’ve got to get the boat ready for the storm. Batten down the hatches, or something like that.” Blaine took a few steps backwards, and Kurt held his breath again, remembering his fantasy from the other day.

“You really should watch where you’re going,” he breathed out, stepping up to Blaine and motioning for him to turn around. "I didn’t bring my swim trunks today, and the water’s pretty rough.”

Blaine grinned as he began to head quickly towards the launch, facing forward this time. Kurt came along with him, returning his easy smile. 

“You think I can’t swim?” Blaine asked.

“I don’t know, you might hit your head on the way down, and need a rescue. I wouldn’t want one of my customers to drown, it’s bad for business.”

They made it to the boat, and Kurt ignored the frown on the launch driver’s face as Blaine jumped on board just as it was pulling away from the dock. “I’ll call you, okay?” Blaine yelled out.

“Awesome,” Kurt yelled back, but then realized his mistake. “Just one problem…” He stared at Blaine, seeing the boy’s face fall. “You don’t have my phone number,” he muttered to himself. 

Blaine face palmed and shrugged at Kurt, then sat down hard as the boat hit a wave. Kurt waved and smiled at him, watching the launch weave in and out of the moored boats. He had hoped to see which one Blaine was going to, but it looked like it was one of the larger sailboats anchored further out in the harbor, and he wouldn’t be in sight once he got that far away.

He turned to go back to the shop’s dock and almost bumped into the man running up behind him.

“Hey, you’re Kurt, right? I’m Sam, remember?”

Kurt had to smile at the guy’s enthusiasm. “Sure, I remember.” He saw Sam looking around at the empty launch dock, with its steps leading to nowhere. “Are you looking for the launch?”

“Yeah.” Sam looked dejected. “I was supposed to be here by nine, but I forgot to set my alarm. Now they’re going to leave without me.”

Kurt glanced at his watch. It was almost ten o’clock. “Well, Blaine just got on the launch, and they come every fifteen or twenty minutes. You won’t be that far behind him.”

“Really? That’s cool, then.” Sam ran a hand through his messy hair, and looked expectantly at Kurt. “So, what were you doing? Want some help?”

The affable look on Sam’s face made Kurt smile. “Bored already?”

Sam laughed. “Yeah, it takes me about thirty seconds, sorry. I’m worse than Blaine. Sometimes I think Ryder wants to whack the two of us over the head to settle us down.”

Kurt walked back towards the dinghy Blaine had left, and Sam followed him. “Are you going to check out the outboard now?” Sam asked. “I can, you know, spot you so you don’t fall in.”

Kurt looked at how the boat was bouncing up and down, even with two lines fastening it to the dock, and shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’ll let my uncle make that call, anyway.”

Sam nodded. “Cool.”

They stood there awkwardly for a moment, and then Sam spoke up again. “So, um, thanks for looking at the engine.”

Kurt tilted his head at Sam. “It’s no problem. It’s kind of my job.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess so.” Sam looked at the launch dock, and then back at Kurt. “I mean, Blaine was really glad you could help us.”

Was Sam trying to give him a hint about something other than engine repair? Kurt wracked his mind for an appropriate response, something that would show that he was interested too, but not be too obvious in case he was wrong. Sadly, he came up empty. “Happy to help an appreciative customer.”

Sam just nodded, looking down, and then they both jumped as another launch heralded its arrival with several piercing squawks of its air horn. 

“That wasn’t fifteen minutes!” Sam exclaimed, looking lost again.

“I guess they’re running more than one launch today,” Kurt said.

“Shit, yeah, I better go.” Sam turned towards the launch, then back to Kurt. “You like campfires, right?”

Kurt was confused at this turn in the conversation. “Um, sure?”

“Ryder says there’s a campfire Saturday night on the beach – see you there?”

A shiver ran through Kurt, and it wasn’t because of the wind. “Okay.”

“Bye, dude!” Sam jumped on to the launch and it pulled away again, leaving Kurt to stare after it. He needed some time to process what had just happened. Best case scenario, Blaine was flirting, and Sam was playing wingman. Worst case, these guys were just friendly, and eager to meet a local kid to hang out with during their summer vacation. Kurt grinned to himself, not really caring that the skies had darkened and cold rain was beginning to fall. Either way, his weekend was looking up. 

*****

Kurt couldn’t help but smile as he trailed Molly and her friends down the meandering path, listening to them chatter about the evening ahead. Apparently campfires on this particular beach were an open secret for people who knew the island well, and these girls were eager to join the party. 

As they came out over the last dune and turned the corner, their destination was finally revealed. It was a pretty little cove, somewhat protected from the surf that pounded the other side of the island after yesterday’s wind. The dark waves reflected the light of the moon, and gave the whole place a rather fairytale feel.

The party was apparently happening a bit further down the beach, where Kurt could see the light of a campfire. As they approached, he realized that there were groups of people all over, some clustered close to the fire and others making themselves comfortable back by the dunes, or playing in the water. Except for the people closest to the fire it was hard to make out anyone’s face. While rather dramatic in appearance, the setting did present a bit of a problem for Kurt – how was he going to find Blaine?

Molly pointed Kurt towards a cooler, explaining that she’d already left some money and he should just help himself, then took off towards the water with her friends. Kurt had already informed Molly that he didn’t need a babysitter tonight – really, he just didn’t want anyone watching his potentially disastrous encounter with his sailor boy. Molly had just smirked and said she hadn’t planned on hanging out with any old men anyway. 

Kurt was just trying to decide whether to scope out the campfire or walk down by the surf when he was greeted by a very welcome voice. 

“Kurt, you made it!” Blaine exclaimed, appearing out of the dark like a brightly shining star. “Guys, Kurt’s here!”

Sam and another boy appeared next to Blaine. Sam slapped Kurt on the back, grinning as usual. “Hey, dude, good to see you.”

“Ryder, this is Kurt. Kurt, Ryder,” Blaine introduced him. 

Ryder was tall, with floppy brown hair and a shy smile. He stepped forward and held out his hand for Kurt to shake. “Nice to meet you.”

“Same,” Kurt replied.

“So, who’s up for a swim?” Sam asked enthusiastically.

Kurt froze, hoping he was kidding. But Ryder was up for it, and before he knew it, he was running off towards the waterline. Kurt got the picture a second later when Sam winked and took off behind him, slapping Blaine on the butt as he went.

Blaine wrinkled his nose at Kurt, abashed. “I’m sorry. When Sam gets an idea in his head… let’s just say he’s not exactly subtle.”

Kurt smiled. Apparently despite his touchy-feely way with Blaine, Sam _was_ playing wingman in this scenario. This could only be good news for Kurt. “That’s okay. I’m just glad you weren’t planning on swimming, too. I feel like I’ve been waiting forever to have more than a minute to talk to you.” 

Blaine looked up at Kurt, his eyes catching the light of the fire. “Want to go sit down?”

They stopped by the cooler for Blaine to grab a beer, and walked down the beach in the shadows, dry bits of seaweed crunching under their feet. There was a pile of rocks up by the dunes that Kurt figured would be more comfortable than getting sand in his jeans. They found a few that were relatively flat on top and sat down, Kurt stretching his legs out towards the water, watching the moonlight glimmer on the rippling waves.

They both sat quietly for a moment, stealing sideways glances at each other, until Kurt couldn’t take it any longer. He wasn’t able to come up with anything particularly clever to say, so he thought he’d just go with what he really wanted to know.

“So, are you going to be here all summer?”

Blaine nodded, turning to face Kurt. “More or less. Sam and I are crewing for Ryder’s dad. He loves to sail, and he’s got this awesome boat – a sixty-five foot cruising ketch – and a house on the island. Their family always spent every summer sailing. But a few years ago Ryder’s mom passed away, and his dad’s arthritis has been getting worse, so they decided to hire on some able bodied deck hands this season.”

“Able bodied deck hands, huh? Sounds very nautical,” Kurt joked.

“Oh, it is,” Blaine said. “You wouldn’t believe all the crazy terms Mr. Lynn uses. The first few days, I thought I had stepped into some kind of naval fantasy novel. Sam and I were totally lost. At least Mr. Lynn gave up on trying to make Sam wear a uniform.”

“A uniform?” Kurt’s mind went to completely inappropriate places as he imagined Blaine in trim sailor’s whites.

Blaine laughed. “It was just khaki shorts, topsiders, and a polo shirt with the name of the boat on the chest. We still have them, we just save them for special occasions.”

Kurt glanced at Blaine’s outfit – khaki shorts, topsiders, and a white polo shirt – and Blaine laughed again. 

“Okay, maybe I didn’t mind the uniform idea, given that it’s pretty much what I wear on a regular basis. But the shirt he got us is royal blue. I wouldn’t wear my uniform to a beach party.”

“Of course not, that would be way too formal,” Kurt joked, unable to hide his grin. “So, how did you stumble into this plebian job, anyway?”

“Sam and I know Ryder from high school. The two of them kept in touch. And after this year…” Blaine’s face darkened, and he looked away. “I just needed to do something different this summer, I guess.”

Kurt got the feeling there was more to that story, but he could tell when not to push. Kurt was nothing if not a master of knowing when someone did not want to share. It was a feeling he was all too familiar with.

“I know what you mean,” he volunteered. “That’s why I’m helping my uncle out for the summer.”

Blaine looked back at Kurt, curious. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I needed to get away from everything and just relax. It’s been a crazy year - school drama, roommate drama, relationship drama, the whole nine yards.”

“That’s a lot of drama,” Blaine said, smiling.

“Well, I go to school at NYADA, in New York City-”

“You do?” Blaine interrupted. “I’m at Julliard!”

“You’re kidding?” Kurt felt a ridiculous bloom of hope in his chest, and he knew he was probably grinning like a loon. “We’re both in New York - I don’t believe it!”

“Believe it!” Blaine was grinning widely, and he rubbed his hands over his thighs. “This is awesome. I should have guessed you were an actor. Sam thought model, though.”

Kurt felt himself blushing. “I do _not_ look like a model.”

“You do, but you’ve got something else, too, your face is just so expressive…” Blaine stared a little too intensely at Kurt for a moment, and then hid his face in his hands. “I’m sorry, that was too much.” He huffed out a laugh. “I haven’t even finished my beer and I’m embarrassing myself.”

“It’s okay,” Kurt said, barely suppressing a giggle. “You can say pretty things to me anytime, I can take it.” He tried to move the conversation back on to more comfortable ground. “What are you studying at Julliard?”

Unfortunately, this didn’t have the effect he hoped it would. “That’s kind of a long story, actually.” Again, Kurt got that “I don’t want to talk about it vibe” from before. He felt a little like a kid at a tennis match at this point, the way the conversation kept going back and forth from spine-tinglingly good to dangerous ground.

“Oh, okay.” He paused, searching for something else to say. “Does Sam go to Julliard, too?”

“Oh, no.” Blaine took in a deep breath, and seemed to relax. “Sam came to New York to model for a while, but now he’s back home in Ohio. New York wasn’t really his thing.”

“You’re from Ohio?” 

“Yeah, Westerville.”

“You aren’t going to believe this, but I’m from Lima.”

Blaine grinned, looking around. “Are there cameras here somewhere? Because this is starting to seem like a very well-orchestrated practical joke. Way over Sam’s pay grade, that’s for sure.”

“No cameras,” Kurt said, pretending to look behind a rock to check. “Wait a minute, where did you go to high school?”

“Dalton Academy. Don’t tell me you went there too, but you’re actually thirty years old? Maybe you were one of my professors in disguise?”

Kurt laughed. “No, how dare you say I’m thirty! But I knew you looked familiar. I went to McKinley High and sang with the New Directions. And I’m willing to bet that you were one of the world famous Warblers.”

Blaine grinned. “Guilty as charged. Making our audience’s knees turn to jelly since 1955.” Blaine stood up and took a quick bow. “Come on, let’s go for a walk and you can tell me all about how you fawned all over the Warblers, and then kicked our asses in every competition. Must have been really tough for you, winning all the time.”

“Well, between you and me, I think the judges just liked watching girls dance and duet with guys, and the Warblers never had a chance, no matter how dreamy a soloist you put forth.” Kurt took Blaine’s extended hand and let himself be pulled up.

“Okay, now who’s saying pretty things?” Blaine said softly, turning the full force of his gaze on Kurt.

Kurt stood there for a moment, Blaine’s hand in his, and gave it a squeeze. He could swear the moonlight sparkled in Blaine’s eyes. “I only speak the truth.”


	3. Chapter 3

Kurt woke up the next morning to birds chirping, sunlight streaming in his window, a light breeze billowing the curtains, and a bordering on Disney-esque happiness blooming in his chest. He still couldn’t believe how well things had gone the night before with Blaine – and if their night had ended a bit early when Molly’s friend informed them that she had a curfew and needed a ride home, it still hadn’t dampened Kurt’s spirits. Not when Blaine looked so sweetly at him as he said goodnight, and gave him a quick little hug and, if Kurt wasn’t completely hallucinating, a soft little kiss on his cheek.

Even better, he was going to see Blaine again tonight. Blaine was apparently performing at a hotel on the island, and had promised to text Kurt the details. Sam and Ryder were going, too, so Kurt wouldn’t have to sit by himself. Ryder even politely asked Molly to come along, causing her to blush furiously as Kurt pointed out that she would probably be busy hanging out with her _high school_ friends. 

He was starting to regret embarrassing Molly, however. They were sitting on the porch, Kurt nursing a steaming cup of coffee while she ate mini-wheats out of the box, and Molly was clearly enjoying herself as she quizzed Kurt about the evening’s events.

“So, what are you going to wear tonight?” she asked, her tone entirely too smug for the question.

“Um, I haven’t thought much about it yet,” Kurt said. This wasn’t entirely true, but Molly didn’t need to know exactly how much thought he put into his wardrobe.

“Because you wouldn’t want to be out of place, right?”

Again, not always Kurt’s biggest priority, but she was clearly getting at something.

“Molly, what are you trying to say?”

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s just that you don’t know much about the island, and I do. Including what Rose Hill Manor is like. But if you don’t think I’m old enough to hang out with you and your friends, you probably don’t need my advice.”

Kurt sighed. Teenagers. “Molly, I’m sorry if I embarrassed you with Ryder. But he’s in his twenties” – possibly – “and you’re only sixteen. He’s clearly too old for you.”

“Yeah, but he’s so cute,” Molly moaned. “Fine,” she sighed. “I get that you don’t want me tagging along after you tonight. Besides, it will probably be boring.”

All right, now he was really curious to find out what she was getting at. “Why would a gig at a bar be boring?”

She laughed, tossing the cereal box to the floor as she stood up and did a little twirl. “It’s not just any bar, dummy. Rose Hill is one of the fanciest hotels on the island. It’s way up on top of a hill-”

“Rose Hill, I’m guessing,” Kurt said under his breath.

“And it looks like something out of a movie, with this big lawn, wraparound porch, and an incredible view of the bluffs and the ocean.”

“Okay…” So maybe not jeans and a button up. Kurt hadn’t brought a suit with him; he would have to find something in between. Although people on the island did tend to be pretty informal. “Any other hints?”

“Well, it depends whether he’s performing in the parlor bar, the wine bar in the basement, or the main dining room.”

This was getting complicated. “How do you even know all these things?” Kurt asked.

“It’s not that big an island, Kurt. Rose Hill is pretty much where all the nice weddings take place, unless they have them on the beach. I’ve been there tons of times.”

By this, Molly probably meant twice, but that was okay. “I’ll ask Blaine about it when he texts me.” And then I’ll google the shit out of the place, he thought to himself. 

Kurt spent a few hours helping his uncle out down at the boatyard, even though it was supposed to be his day off. He hoped he wasn’t being too optimistic for thinking he might need some flexibility in his schedule to accommodate future dates with Blaine. In any case, it could never hurt to be helpful. 

Back at the house, he took his time doing some yoga and vocal exercises, and then spent a little while responding to emails. He had a lot going on this fall semester at NYADA, and it would all go more smoothly if he attended to some of the administrative work before the school year began. Several students had questions about the freshman play, which was traditionally run by the upperclassmen. Kurt had been selected to direct, which made him shiver with pride every time he thought about it. But with great power comes great responsibility, his father had reminded him, and this project was no exception. The music director, costume director and stage manager all reported to him, and it seemed like not a week went by that there wasn’t some new drama. Of course, drama was to be expected at NYADA, and Kurt had learned to take it in stride.

He also had a long email from Rachel, containing not only a blow by blow of each of her castmates and Rachel’s appraisal of their talent or lack thereof, but some rather graphic descriptions of the dates she had gone on with her co-star. As always, she applauded her own good judgment in being in this situation, because it would make her performance more true to life, as she and this guy were cast as love interests in the show. Kurt was pretty sure that the whole point of acting was being able to depict relationships that weren’t actually factually true, but he wasn’t going to get into that with Rachel, especially not long distance.

But for the first time in a long time, hearing Rachel’s stories of easy triumph and romantic success didn’t make Kurt jealous. Because this time Kurt had his own thoughts of romance dancing through his head. Although he could hardly believe it, it was possible that he had his own handsome Prince Charming to think about, to send silly messages to, and to kiss goodnight (if all went well). And if things didn’t go as planned – well then, as Rachel always said, it was just one more experience to draw on for his own future acting career. 

*****  
By the time Kurt parked his uncle’s truck behind Rose Hill Manor, he was practically shaking with anticipation. He got out of the truck carefully, smoothing his hands over his carefully chosen outfit – dark pants with a subtle stripe, a barely pink shirt, dark silver waistcoat, and a paisley neckerchief that picked up the silver and light pink along with a jewel toned royal blue. His hair was styled high over his forehead, and he knew he not only looked good, he looked hot. 

Possibly too hot for this venue, he thought briefly, as he rounded the corner of the building and saw the people congregating on the lawn. The wide expanse of green hill led up to the cliffs and the sea beyond, and the porch of the grand hotel was open on three sides to allow its patrons to enjoy the views along with their cocktails. The brightly dressed women and men gathered on the porch and strolling on the hilltop tended towards the preppy, rather than city stylish, but then again, Kurt had never been one to conform. He took a deep breath and proceeded to the entrance to the hotel, where Sam had promised to meet him.

“Hey, Kurt,” came a voice from behind him, and Kurt turned to see Sam and Ryder approaching. “Wow, you look awesome,” Sam said, standing back and pretending to frame Kurt in a photo with his fingers. 

“Blaine’s gonna have a heart attack,” Ryder said, and Sam promptly gave him a shove.

“Be nice,” Sam said. “Although, it could be a risk,” Sam admitted, looking Kurt up and down.

Kurt was a bit surprised to be the recipient of this type of attention from two presumably straight guys, but he puffed up his feathers and decided to enjoy it. “You two look pretty good yourselves,” he responded, and it was true, although they both could have stepped right out of a prep school catalogue; Ryder was wearing a navy sport jacket, khaki pants, and a white shirt and rep tie, while Sam had on a variation of the same, except with a blue shirt, no tie, and a gray jacket.

“Apparently it’s a pretty fancy place,” Sam said as they walked inside. “Ryder had to lend me some clothes – I didn’t bring anything _appropriate_ with me,” he said shaking his head. 

“Sam thought that he’d get to spend the whole summer in nothing but swim trunks,” Ryder said playfully. 

“They told me the island was casual. Casual does not mean jacket and tie,” Sam responded, apparently rehashing a conversation they had already had several times.

Once inside, the hostess pointed out the way to the wine bar. It was in the basement, a dark, cool room lined with stones and, not surprisingly, shelves filled with wine. The aura of wealth extended here, as well, to tables covered in snowy white linen, crystal glasses, and a wine list that Kurt didn’t dare to even open. 

They found a table about halfway between the small stage and the back of the room, not wanting to draw too much attention to themselves. Before long Ryder had excused himself, standing off to the side of the room and chatting with various people.

Sam saw Kurt watch Ryder go and sat back in his chair. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to abandon you. Ryder and his family know a lot of people on the island. They’ve been coming here every summer for forever.” Sam stretched, trying to look subtle as he checked out the room. “Yup. Just as I thought.”

Kurt followed his gaze, but didn’t see what he was looking at. “What?”

“Kitty’s here. Ryder had a bit of a fling with her last summer. She broke it off when they went back to school, and he was heartbroken.”

Kurt saw Ryder inching his way closer to a petite blond with a smirk on her face, and figured that must be her. “White dress, killer heels?” he asked, and Sam nodded. 

“I think she uses them to pluck out the hearts of her conquests,” he said seriously. “But Ryder still misses her.”

“Ah, young love,” Kurt joked. Clearly Kitty was from the Santana school of romance. He didn’t know Ryder all that well, but he still felt bad for the guy. And Sam seemed to be on the same page.

“I’ll bet you a coke they end up together tonight, and she drops him before the end of the month.” Sam held out his pinky for Kurt to grab. “Is it a bet?”

Kurt nodded. “Sure.”

Finally the band started playing. Blaine took the stage, and Kurt felt a thrill of excitement run through him. Blaine was wearing a slim fitting dark suit that emphasized his narrow waist and broad shoulders, with a dark blue shirt and a silvery bow tie. Kurt glanced quickly at his own outfit, and then back up at Blaine… he had run his selections by Blaine earlier, but would Blaine actually have picked out something to complement it? The silver in Blaine’s tie echoed the silver in his own vest, and the blue of his shirt matched the blue in Kurt’s neckerchief. Kurt felt his cheeks flush, and he hoped the room was dim enough that Sam wouldn’t notice. 

Ryder slipped back into his chair just as Blaine took the mic. This clearly frustrated Sam, who looked as if he wanted to quiz Ryder on the Kitty situation, but Kurt didn’t care.

From the moment Blaine began singing, Kurt was mesmerized. Not only did Blaine have a lovely, honeyed voice, perfect for the jazz standards that were on the menu tonight, but a stage presence any actor would die for. Before the first number was over he had the audience in the palm of his hand, Kurt included.

Blaine introduced himself then, speaking easily into the crowd, not a sign of stage fright to be seen. He grinned encouragingly at the band, and then launched into a sultry piece, letting his voice go low, caressing and dancing over the notes.

_It’s a marvelous night for a moondance, with the stars up above in your eyes,_  
_A fantabulous night to make romance, ‘neath the cover of October skies._

Kurt glanced at Sam, who was mouthing the words and bouncing along a little in his seat, clearly enjoying himself. 

“He’s amazing,” Kurt whispered, when Blaine finished singing and the audience clapped fervently.

“He always is,” Ryder said, not entirely kindly.

“He’s awesome,” Sam said firmly. “And he deserves this. Don’t be an ass.”

Kurt looked quizzically at Sam for some clarification. 

“Don’t pay any attention to Ryder. He’s probably upset about Kitty, and he gets jealous of Blaine sometimes.”

With this, Ryder slipped away from the table, and Sam just shrugged. “Honestly, don’t worry about him. Just watch Blaine.”

The next number was slower, and Blaine stayed still at the microphone, holding the stand with both hands, and crooning softly into the night. When he got to the chorus Blaine’s voice was so full of emotion that Kurt almost wanted to cry.

_There’s a somebody I’m longing to see, I hope that he turns out to be_  
_Someone who’ll watch over me._  
_I’m a little lamb who’s lost in the wood, I know that I could always be good,_  
_Someone to watch over me._

Kurt was definitely not letting himself think about a possible role play with himself as a wolf and Blaine as the sweet little lamb lost in the wood… _get your head out of the gutter, Hummel,_ he could hear Santana say.

As the song ended and the crowd once again burst into applause, Kurt glanced at Sam, who was wiping his eyes surreptitiously. Sam might not be in love with Blaine, but he definitely loved him. 

“You go, Blaine,” Sam said as he clapped. “Way to go, dude.” He looked at Kurt and shrugged. “He had a crap year. He deserves this, just like I told Ryder.”

“What happened?” Kurt asked.

Sam opened his mouth to respond, and then apparently thought better of it, and closed it again. “Just… bad stuff.”

“He seems fine,” Kurt said, knowing that wasn’t much of a response.

“He’s good at that, too,” Sam said softly. “He always seems fine.”

After a few more equally impressive pieces, including one where Blaine accompanied himself on the piano, his set was almost over. Blaine took the mic, waited for the crowd to settle down, and then introduced his last song.

“I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. This is my first summer on the island, and you’ve all been so welcoming to me, it feels great. This is a really special place. I had no idea when I agreed to crew for Mr. Lynn that I would have such a wonderful time.” Blaine smiled at the crowd, and Kurt could swear he saw several people swoon, men and women alike. “Although I have to admit, the most surprising thing about this summer hasn’t been the way the moonlight sparkles on the water, or the thickness of the fog in the mornings, or even Mr. Lynn’s affinity for having us all wear matching clothes.” This brought a laugh from the audience, and Sam practically guffawed.

“The most surprising, most amazing thing,” Blaine continued, looking out over the crowd until he caught Kurt’s eyes, “has been the people I’ve met. One person, in particular.”

Blaine smiled softly, then turned and nodded to the band. Kurt sat frozen in his seat, hardly able to breathe, as Blaine began to sing.

“Hey, dude, relax,” Sam said, bumping his shoulder against Kurt’s. “What, are you surprised? He’s been head over heels since the first time he saw you.”

_I’m wild again, beguiled again, a simpering whimpering child again,_  
_Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I._

_Couldn’t sleep, and wouldn’t sleep, when love came and told me I shouldn’t sleep,_  
_Betwitched, bothered and bewildered am I._

Kurt felt his heart expand in his chest. He couldn’t take his eyes off Blaine, and it seemed like Blaine felt the same. 

_I’ll sing to him, each spring to him, and long for the day when I’ll cling to him,_  
_Bewitched, bothered and bewildered, am I._

When Blaine finished, he worked his way through the audience, several people stopping to shake his hand and ask him questions. It gave Kurt a chance to compose himself, so that he was more than ready when Blaine finally reached their table. Sam grabbed him into a tight hug, whispering something into his ear, and Ryder patted him on the back and congratulated him. Finally Blaine turned to Kurt, a shy smile on his face.

“So, how’d I do?”

“You were amazing,” Kurt breathed out, and without a care for the audience, put a hand to Blaine’s cheek and pressed a firm kiss to his lips. When he pulled back, Blaine’s pupils were as wide as his smile. 

“Thank you,” Blaine said softly, then leaned in and kissed Kurt again, quickly, but with the promise of more to come. “Want to go for a walk?” he asked. Kurt nodded, and Blaine took his hand. He led them through the well dressed crowd, smiling and accepting compliments and praise as they went, answering questions about his summer plans and his experience sailing with Mr. Lynn, but never letting go of Kurt.

Finally they made it upstairs and out of the hotel. The night was dark, clouds blocking the moon, but the hotel porch was decked out in white fairy lights, and the candles from the tables on the patio shed a flickering glow over the hillside. 

Blaine seemed to relax as they moved away from the other guests, walking towards the edge of the cliff. He glanced shyly at Kurt, who smiled back at him and gave his hand a squeeze, causing an answering grin to spread over Blaine’s face.

They stopped at a bench by the cliff’s edge, sitting down with their thighs touching, hands still clasped between them. The ocean was dark, barely visible, but Kurt could hear the beat of the waves pounding against the shore.

“It’s beautiful here,” Kurt said, gazing out over the water.

“It is,” Blaine said, and Kurt turned to find Blaine staring at him. He felt the blood rise in his cheeks, and wondered if there was a limit to how many times in one evening his heart could pound like this. Talk about giving Blaine a heart attack…

“You really were good, Blaine,” Kurt said. “Ridiculously good. I mean, I go to school with a lot of singers who think they’re the next big thing, but honestly, you’re better than anyone I know.”

Blaine shrugged. “Thank you. My mom wants me to be the next Dean Martin,” he said, a trace of bitterness in his voice.

“You could be,” Kurt replied. “What’s wrong with that?”

Blaine shrugged again. “Nothing.” He had tensed up again, and Kurt wondered if he was missing something. He decided to ignore it for now and change the subject.

“I had a nice time hanging out with Sam and Ryder. Although apparently there’s something going on with a girl named Kitty…?”

Blaine visibly relaxed as he filled Kurt in on the Ryder and Kitty story. Kurt had heard much of it already from Sam, but that was okay. Kurt told Blaine about Molly’s crush on Ryder, which just made Blaine chuckle. They both agreed that as much as they liked Molly, she was a bit too young for Ryder.

“Ryder’s always attracting attention, but it never seems to be from the right person,” Blaine said. “He’s got a bit of a chip on his shoulder; his older brother got into a more prestigious college than he did, and is engaged to a woman he’s known since middle school. Everything seems to come easily to him, but not to Ryder.”

Kurt thought about Rachel, and the string of professional roles that kept coming her way. “I know how that feels.”

Their conversation lulled, and Kurt found himself gazing into Blaine’s eyes, which tonight seemed more green than brown. He reached out and touched a finger to Blaine’s silver bow tie. “This is very nice,” he said softly. 

Blaine ducked his head. “I thought it would match your outfit,” he said, his eyes flickering up to Kurt’s.

“I appreciate the gesture. We’ll have to get Sam to take some pictures.” Kurt laughed softly. “How did you happen to have it with you? I can’t imagine you have much opportunity to get dressed up here, even as the island’s reigning heartthrob.”

Blaine looked down again, a smile pulling at his mouth. “I may have a bit of a collection.”

“A bow tie collection?”

Blaine nodded. “I didn’t want to leave them home.” He looked up at Kurt, tilting his head. “They’d be lonely.”

Kurt laughed again. “Oh, I see. Well, I’m sure there’s lots of space on the boat for all your bowties.”

“Sam brought comic books,” Blaine defended himself. “And bowties don’t take up much space, if you layer them right.”

“Of course not,” Kurt said.

“You look wonderful tonight, by the way,” Blaine said, his eyes meeting Kurt’s. “I meant to say so earlier, but I got distracted.”

“Distracted?” Kurt felt his heart start fluttering again, and couldn’t help but glance at Blaine’s lips, lips that were slightly parted, and which looked oh so delicious.

“Mmm, distracted.” Blaine raised a hand to Kurt’s cheek and pulled them closer, pressing a soft kiss to Kurt’s lips, and he swooned just as completely as the crowd in the bar.

“You’re a man of many talents,” Kurt said as they came up for air, his forehead resting against Blaine’s.

“I don’t know,” Blaine said, running his hands up and down Kurt’s arms, then sliding one hand around to the back of his neck, his breath hot in Kurt’s ear. “I think I could use some more practice.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be sure to listen to the lovely fanmix made by klaineitupanotch - it includes the songs featured in this chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

It was a gray morning a few days later, and Kurt was still sleepy after dropping off some paperwork with his uncle. He was in the little convenience store at the boatyard, trying to decide which flavor of lukewarm coffee to buy, when he saw Sam burst through the door.

“Kurt – hey – do you know if they sell medicine here?”

Sam literally looked like he had just rolled out of bed, his hair wild and what looked like a pillow crease still on his cheek.

“Sure. There’s a first aid section in the back.” Kurt followed Sam as he jogged off in the direction Kurt had indicated. “Everything okay?”

“No, not really…” Sam scanned the shelves and grabbed a bottle of Advil. “Blaine’s sick, and I’ve got to go crew for Ryder’s brother by myself, and I’m already late, but I’ve got to bring this back out to the boat first…” 

Sam headed back to the cash register at a run. He was clearly impatient, bouncing back and forth on his feet, and Kurt wondered if he had left the boat so fast he forgot to use the bathroom first. Then the impact of Sam’s words hit him.

“Blaine’s sick? What’s wrong?” 

Sam’s turn at the register came, and he slapped down a ten dollar bill, wincing as he only got some change in return. “I don’t know. Some kind of twenty-four hour bug, I guess. He woke up with a killer fever, and spent some quality time in the bathroom.”

“Is Ryder out on the boat with him?” Kurt was beginning to get a bad feeling about this.

“No, Ryder’s with his brother already.” Sam looked at his watch. “Shit, I am so screwed.” He ran a hand through his hair, and looked at Kurt sadly. “I don’t suppose you could go racing today instead of me? As long as you know how to steer, and keep the lines untangled, most of it is pretty easy.”

“No, I’ve never even been sailing.” Kurt sucked in a deep breath. This was bordering on crazy, but he couldn’t help himself. “But I have another idea.”

*****  
Sam came out to the launch with him, and made sure the driver knew where to take Kurt. “It’s _Dulcinea,_ out in the northeast corner of the harbor.” The man nodded, Sam handed the bottle of Advil off to Kurt. Kurt shoved it into his backpack along with the other supplies he had quickly purchased, and they were off.

Kurt hoped his uncle wouldn’t be too miffed, but since he wasn’t scheduled to work today, and things were pretty slow this week, he didn’t think there’d be much of a problem. Martin was nothing if not easy-going, and he kept insisting that this summer was supposed to be for Kurt’s benefit, a chance for him to relax and recharge. Kurt wasn’t exactly sure that his current plan fell under that heading, but what the hell, live and learn.

He held tight to the railing of the launch as they moved away from the cluster of boats moored near the marinas, and out into the less populated area of the harbor. It struck Kurt as they bounced along that his phone might not work out here. Sam had babbled something about using the marine radio but Kurt had been occupied trying to figure out what flavor Gatorade Blaine would like, and didn’t really remember the particulars.

It took longer than Kurt had anticipated, but finally they were pulling up along a beautiful sailboat. It was blue, with a white awning over the cockpit and matching sailcovers, and it was huge. Luckily there was a ladder hanging over the side, probably what Sam had used to get off the boat, and the driver did his best to hold the launch close to the yacht as Kurt made a grab for the ladder. All too soon the launch was moving away, and Kurt was left by himself, standing on the deck of a stranger’s boat, uninvited, but hopefully not entirely unwelcome.

Kurt stepped carefully into the cockpit, admiring the shining stainless steel fixtures and sparkling teak decks. _Guess when you have a boat with a crew they have to do something to pass the time,_ Kurt thought to himself, an image of Blaine, shirtless, polishing the winches popping into his mind. _Focus, Kurt,_ he told himself, and went down through the open hatchway into the main cabin.

All inappropriate thoughts quickly flew from his mind, however, when he saw Blaine huddled on his side on the floor, not far from an open door to what had to be the bathroom. Blaine had a towel scrunched up under his head, and was cradling his left hand to his chest. He didn’t seem to even notice that Kurt was there. 

“Blaine?” Kurt said softly, setting his backpack on the table and squatting down on the floor. Blaine had on only a sweat-soaked white tank top and boxers, and his eyes were squeezed shut, his long lashes pressed against his face.

“Don’t, please don’t,” Blaine muttered, curling more tightly around himself. “Don’t hurt him.”

Kurt was suddenly struck by how what he was doing could well be taken as an entirely unwarranted intrusion into Blaine’s privacy, and he felt a little sick himself. But Sam was gone for the day, no one else was available, and Blaine needed help. So no matter what this might mean for their fairy-tale journey, Kurt would have to find a way to make it work.

He sat crossed legged next to Blaine. “Blaine, it’s me, Kurt. Can you wake up for a minute?” Kurt gently put a hand on his shoulder, thinking it would help to wake him up, but Blaine jerked away.

“Stop it, stop it, please,” Blaine begged.

Kurt’s heart was breaking, but he couldn’t let this go on. “Blaine, you’re safe, but you need to wake up and take some medicine, okay?” He spoke as firmly as he could manage, watching as Blaine finally blinked his eyes open and seemed to register where he was.

Kurt pulled his backpack down from the table and found a bottle of water and the Advil. He wrenched open the child-proof lid and shook out two tablets. Blaine was still trembling, but was following Kurt’s movements with his eyes.

“Can you sit up?” Kurt asked softly, and Blaine seemed to consider this for a moment, then shakily pushed himself upright, legs sprawled out next to Kurt. Kurt handed him the water bottle and then the pills, and Blaine quickly swallowed them down. A few seconds later, with a look of panic, Blaine clutched at his stomach, Kurt barely taking the water bottle back before he dropped it, but then the moment seemed to pass and he relaxed. 

“What…” Blaine grimaced, cleared his throat, and tried again. “What are you doing here?”

“I ran into Sam while he was buying meds for you. He was late for something he was supposed to do with Ryder and his brother, so I volunteered to come check on you.” _And it is not at all creepy or inappropriate,_ Kurt thought firmly.

“Thanks,” Blaine said, his eyes drifting shut. Apparently he wasn’t even alert enough to be self-conscious at this point, although Kurt figured that might well come later.

“Hey, no sleeping yet.”

Blaine looked up, confused.

“Let me at least help you get into a bed. Then you can sleep.” Kurt stood and held out his hand for Blaine, who took it and let Kurt pull him to his feet. 

“My cabin’s there,” Blaine pointed forward. “I was afraid I wouldn’t make it to the bathroom if I went back to bed,” Blaine said, not meeting Kurt’s eyes.

“How’s your stomach now? You kept the pills down.”

“So far…” Blaine muttered. But the draw of Blaine’s bed seemed to overcome his other concerns, and Blaine stumbled into his cabin, Kurt following closely behind. It was a narrow space with two bunk beds against the wall and a tiny countertop with several pairs of sunglasses, spare change and a cell phone sitting on top of it – Blaine’s, presumably. Blaine gratefully collapsed into the bottom bunk, sighing as Kurt tugged at the sheet to straighten it out and pull it over him. He was asleep before Kurt could even ask him if he wanted another drink of water.

Kurt was tempted to plop himself down in the doorway and watch Blaine sleep, just in case he woke up and needed something (and somehow also became mute and couldn’t call for him), but he summoned his inner adult and went back out into the main cabin. He put the water bottles and six pack of Gatorade in the small refrigerator, and set the saltines and cans of soup on the counter. The towel Blaine had been using for a pillow seemed a bit rank, so Kurt folded it and set it in the bathroom, not sure whether there were any laundry facilities on the boat. Even a boat this big couldn’t have everything, right?

Kurt decided to give himself a tour. There was a tiny cabin in the very front of the boat, with a v-shaped bunk and two matching duffels stowed underneath. Another side cabin, much like Blaine’s, and the small forward bathroom. The main cabin contained a table with cushioned bench seats around three sides and a section off to the side which looked like it was dedicated to navigation, with the marine radio Sam had mentioned and neat shelves of charts. Then came a narrow kitchen – small, but bigger than many New York City kitchens Kurt had seen – an engine room, and a spacious aft cabin with a large queen sized bunk and its own bathroom.

Kurt came back into the main cabin, glancing at his watch. Only ten minutes had gone by. He stuck his head in Blaine’s cabin, quickly assuring himself that Blaine was sleeping peacefully, and then made himself comfortable at the table. Before he knew it, he had leaned back against the cushions and fallen asleep himself, the gentle rocking of the boat a peaceful lullaby.

When Kurt woke up several hours later, it took him a minute to remember where he was. But the sad moaning noises soon restored his memory. He quickly went back to Blaine’s cabin, and wasn’t pleased with what he saw. Blaine was shivering and mumbling nonsense. The sheet was crumpled on the floor. Blaine’s fever had clearly spiked, but it was a little too soon for more medicine.

Kurt ducked into the little bathroom, wet a washcloth, and brought it into Blaine’s room. He sat down on the bed next to him, gently pushing at Blaine’s shoulder to make a space for him to sit, cramped as it was with the top bunk above his head.

Kurt gently touched the back of his hand to Blaine’s face, and, as predicted, he was burning up. When he set the cool cloth on Blaine’s forehead, Blaine froze, and then let out a long sigh. After a few minutes, his eyes blinked open, long lashes fluttering up at Kurt. “That feels good,” Blaine said, his voice rough.

“I’m glad,” Kurt said softly. “Just try to relax. Your fever’s back.”

“Hmm,” Blaine said, closing his eyes. 

“Do you want something to drink? You’re probably dehydrated.”

“’Kay.”

Kurt went into the kitchen and got a little bottle of Gatorade, then ran the washcloth under the tap until it was cool again.

When he returned, Blaine was sitting up, hunched over in the bunk and looking somewhat green. But he took the bottle and drank it down all in one go, apparently determined to get the liquid down.

This time, however, his stomach did not cooperate. Seconds after finishing the drink, Blaine bolted from the bed, pushing past Kurt and diving into the bathroom. The retching sounds made clear what was going on.

Kurt turned and stood outside the door to the little room, hearing Blaine cough and sputter. “Do you need help?” he asked, not sure if he wanted Blaine to say yes or no.

Blaine didn’t answer, but the coughing stopped, and he heard water running. Then Blaine staggered out of the bathroom and collapsed back into his bed. “Bad idea,” he said sadly.

“It’s okay, just relax.” Kurt squished himself on to the bed again and went back to wiping Blaine’s face with the cool cloth. “This still okay?”

“Yeah.”

They were quiet for a few minutes, Blaine twitching a little bit as he almost drifted off to sleep, waking up each time for no reason Kurt could see. He remembered all the times he had been sick as a little boy, when his mother would sing to him, reassuring him that all would be right with the world. Kurt knew how much Blaine liked music. He really hadn’t planned on introducing Blaine to the nature of his voice in quite this manner, but then nothing about this day had been what he would have planned.

Kurt wasn’t sure what to sing, but he decided that regardless of Blaine’s sophisticated musical training, he couldn’t go wrong with a Beatles tune.

_Once there was a way, to get back homeward. Once there was a way to get back home. Sleep pretty darling, do not cry. And I will sing a lullaby._

Blaine stirred, opening his eyes and looking up at Kurt, a shy smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Kurt thought that was probably as much encouragement as he could hope to get in this situation, so he went on.

_Golden slumbers fill your eyes. Smiles await you when you rise. Sleep pretty darling, do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby._

Blaine’s smile grew, and he reached out to pet at Kurt’s arm. “I really like you,” he said softly, and Kurt nearly fell off the bed. _He’s feverish,_ Kurt thought to himself. _Don’t read too much into this._

“I like you too, Blaine,” Kurt replied, going back to humming the last chorus.

“No, I mean I really _like_ you,” Blaine insisted, his eyes wide and glassy, and Kurt couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face.

“I’m glad,” Kurt said softly. “Try to sleep now, okay?”

“Mmm, okay.” Blaine rolled on to his back, and accepted the sheet Kurt draped over him once again. “Stay with me?”

 _Oh lord, this boy is going to be the death of me,_ Kurt thought, as Blaine blinked his big puppy-dog eyes at him.

“Of course.” Kurt pulled a pillow off the top bunk, silently apologizing to Sam, who he assumed shared the cabin with Blaine, and settled on the floor next to the bed. Blaine was asleep in minutes. Kurt, not so much.

After more than an hour of trying to make himself read one of his summer reading assignments on his phone – a Bertolt Brecht play, not exactly a beach read – Kurt stood up gingerly. He stretched his cramped legs and wandered out into the main cabin. He was examining the contents of the cabinets, about ready to break out a snack of saltines and Gatorade for himself, when he heard the water running in the bathroom.

 _How on earth did he sneak past me?_ Kurt wondered. He figured it must be a good sign.

Ten minutes later Blaine appeared in the main cabin, looking bashfully down at Kurt where he sat at the table. Blaine’s hair was wet and curly, dripping on to a white t-shirt with a small Tanglewood logo, his sweaty tank top nowhere in sight. Kurt forced himself not to gawk at how nice Blaine’s biceps looked as he reached up a tanned arm and rubbed the back of his neck. He had to concentrate on the well being of his patient.

“Hey there,” Kurt said. “How are you feeling?”

Blaine slid into the bench seat across from Kurt. “Hungry, actually.”

“Well then, I have just the thing.” Kurt went into the little kitchen and brought back a plate with saltines and some dried fruit and placed it on the table in front of Blaine. “I can also offer you a choice of beverages – would you like water, yellow or blue Gatorade, or we have a fine selection of sodas today.”

“Just water, thanks.”

“I would have made you some tea, but I wasn’t sure if I should mess up the kitchen,” Kurt said, getting a plastic cup from a cabinet and filling it with water for Blaine, which he delivered to him along with several more Advil.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. Sam and I live here, we pretty much make a mess of it on a regular basis.”

Kurt laughed. “It looks pretty clean to me.” Frankly, the place was sparkling.

“I guess we do okay. Ryder’s dad likes things neat, but he also keeps the cabinets stocked with food, so it’s a pretty fair trade.” Blaine tentatively took a nibble of a saltine, swallowed it down, and then looked up at Kurt. 

“Doing okay?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Relieved, Blaine took another bite and washed it down with some water, then ate a dried apricot.

“Not the best way to spend the day, huh?” Kurt asked, sipping on his ginger ale.

Blaine’s face fell. “I’m so sorry, Kurt. You really didn’t have to come.” Blaine slid out from behind the table and stood up. “And you can go now, I can call the launch for you. It might take him twenty minutes or so, but you don’t have to stay any longer.” He walked towards the marine radio and Kurt stood up to block his path, frantically stumbling over his words.

“No, don’t do that, I mean – don’t call the launch.” 

Blaine looked confused.

“That is, I don’t mind staying longer. If you want me to. I will.”

A little smile tugged at the corner of Blaine’s mouth. “That was practically another Beatles song.”

Kurt didn’t know what Blaine was talking about until he started singing softly. “Who knows how long I’ve loved you, you know I love you still. Will I wait a lonely lifetime? If you want me to, I will.”

Kurt felt himself blushing, and Blaine looked abashed, probably not intending to serenade Kurt with a love song. “Sorry,” Blaine mumbled. 

“No, you have a beautiful voice,” Kurt said.

“So do you.” Blaine gazed at Kurt, blinking slowly, and then gave himself a shake. “Right, then. Well, if you want to stay, how about we watch a movie?”

“Sounds good to me.” Kurt wasn’t sure if he was grateful to Blaine for getting them out of the awkward moment, or if he wanted to just bask in Blaine’s gaze for a while more, but a movie was always a good idea.

“We could set it up in Ryder’s cabin, he won’t mind. Sam and I do it all the time.”

Blaine pulled a laptop out of a drawer in his room and placed it on the bunk in the forward cabin. He shuffled around with a cushioned piece of the cabin that Kurt had assumed was a step, and moved it up so that it was level with the rest of the bunk, making the v-shape into more of a solid triangle. “Now we can get comfortable,” Blaine said, and Kurt didn’t miss how the tips of his ears turned red as he realized how that sounded. “To watch the movie, I mean.” 

Blaine just shook his head at himself and it was all Kurt could do not to giggle. 

“Want to pick something out?” Blaine asked, indicating the narrow shelf along the wall which was filled with DVD’s. 

Kurt climbed up on to the bunk, and Blaine joined him, as they looked through the selections.

“Are these alphabetized?” Kurt asked, impressed.

“Yes, after being sorted into genres.” Blaine shrugged. “Ryder takes after his dad.”

Kurt pulled out a rom-com from a few years ago that he hadn’t seen. “How about this?”

Blaine stretched out on the bunk, arranging the laptop in front of them, and took the box from Kurt. “Sam likes that one. He’s got a bit of a crush on Chris Evans.” 

Really? That was interesting, and not at all what Kurt had thought. “Is Sam…?”

“Nah, he’s straight. But, you know, Chris Evans _is_ Captain America… Everybody thinks he’s hot.”

Kurt laughed. “I suppose. He’s not really my type.” 

Blaine ducked his head. “Me neither,” Blaine said, and even in the dim light of the cabin Kurt could tell Blaine was blushing. He decided to go for it.

“No? What is your type?” Kurt asked.

Blaine rolled to his side, catching Kurt’s gaze with his big brown eyes. “Well, until recently I wouldn’t say I had a type. But then a few weeks ago I met this amazing guy…” He reached out a finger and stroked it down Kurt’s arm, causing Kurt to practically purr in response. 

Of course, as soon as the movie got started, Blaine fell asleep. Kurt really couldn’t fault him, even though he had wondered if maybe a little kissing might be in store. He was eager to pick up where they had left off the night at Rose Hill Manor. But after the day Blaine had gone through, he deserved some rest. And knowing that Blaine wanted him there, well, that was all that Kurt needed to make his day, mediocre movie or not. 

When the credits rolled and Blaine was still out cold, Kurt decided to make them something more substantial to eat. It was getting late, and whether or not Blaine was ready for more solid food, Kurt was starving. He heated up the two cans of soup and popped some frozen rolls into the oven. Blaine had been right – the kitchen was fully stocked, and given a little more time, Kurt could definitely whip up a feast.

“Wow, that smells great,” Blaine said, coming into the kitchen and standing close to Kurt as he peered into the saucepan. “You didn’t have to cook for me.”

Kurt smiled at him. “This is hardly cooking. I just heated up some soup.”

“Yeah, but it’s chicken noodle,” Blaine said playfully. “And apparently you found my hidden stash of carbs.”

Kurt nudged Blaine out of the way as he opened up the oven to check on the bread. “They weren’t exactly hidden.”

“Sam never goes into the freezer, ‘cause that’s where the ice cream is. He says it’s easier if he doesn’t see it.”

“I take it Sam’s fairly health conscious?”

Blaine shrugged. “Sort of. He’s always worried about his weight. I don’t actually think it’s very healthy.”

“Is this related to his modeling career?”

“Not exactly. He was like this in high school, too. He’s always been pretty buff, and he used to think that was the only thing he had going for him.” Blaine took two bowls down from a cabinet and served out the soup. “I think he’s feeling better about himself now, but he’s still really careful about what he eats.”

“I get that,” Kurt said. “But personally, I couldn’t live without ice cream. I think I ate a pint a day this spring.”

Blaine tilted his head and looked at Kurt quizzically. “I’ll hazard a guess… bad breakup?”

Kurt nodded. “Yeah. It’s partly why I decided to come out here this summer. I just needed some time away from all of that.”

Kurt put the rolls into a basket and brought them over to the table with some butter, and Blaine got them a few bottles of water. They didn’t talk much as they ate, Blaine seeming to slip into a more somber mood. Just as Kurt was struggling to think of something else to say, Blaine looked up with a start.

“Shit, I totally forgot.” Blaine got up from the table and went over to the hatch. “I’ve got to go up on deck and check a few things, make sure we haven’t drifted or anything. You okay here?”

“Of course.” Kurt cleared the dishes and wrapped up the remaining rolls as Blaine went up on deck. It didn’t take long for Blaine to reappear.

“It’s really a beautiful night,” he said. “Want to come up?”

Kurt nodded.

“Just a sec,” Blaine said, dashing back into his cabin and coming out with two sweatshirts. “It’s a little chilly - hope this is okay.” Blaine handed him a soft navy hooded sweatshirt with “Julliard” emblazoned across the chest. “It’s a little big on me, so it should fit you fine.” 

Blaine smiled shyly at Kurt, and then pulled on a royal blue sweatshirt with “Dulcinea” embroidered on the sleeve.

“More spiritwear?” Kurt asked.

“I told you, Mr. Lynn got very excited about having a crew. Wait until you see our matching boxer shorts.”

“I hope you’re kidding,” Kurt said dryly.

“I am,” Blaine said, but then raised his eyebrows at Kurt a few times. “Or maybe I’m not…”

Blaine stepped back into his cabin and took the blanket from the foot of his bed, then led the way up into the cockpit. “Careful,” he said as Kurt stepped over the edge of the hatchway. “I can’t tell you how many times I tripped my first week on the boat. Nothing’s as flat as you expect it to be.”

“And it’s moving,” Kurt said, as the wake of motorboat that had just sped past rocked the boat.

“There’s that too,” Blaine admitted. “Usually it’s pretty quiet in this part of the harbor, though. Come on, let’s go up on the bow. You can’t see the sky very well from here unless I take down the canopy, and that’s a giant production.”

They made their way along the side of the boat, Kurt making sure to keep hold of the lifeline. Blaine arranged a few cushions against the rise of the forward cabin, and they sat down, facing the bow. It was indeed chilly, the wind blowing harder than it had been earlier in the day, and Kurt was glad of the wool blanket Blaine draped over them.

“Now, tell me this isn’t about as far away from New York City as you can get,” Blaine said softly, leaning back and looking up at the sky, filled with brilliant stars.

Kurt did the same, and the view nearly took his breath away. There were so many stars, so many more than were visible from the city. The water was so dark that it blended into the night sky, making it feel like they were an island all to themselves. But what was truly breathtaking was the way the moon shone in Blaine’s sparkling eyes. 

“I must say, I admire your recovery,” Kurt said boldly. “It’s not everyone who could go from death’s door to romantic date night in the space of one day.”

A flash of uncertainty passed over Blaine’s face, which was not the reaction Kurt was hoping for.

“What?” Kurt asked.

Blaine pressed his eyes shut. “Actually, I’m terrified. But I’m desperately trying to pretend I’m not.”

“Terrified? Why?” Kurt rolled to his side and leaned up on an elbow, trying to catch Blaine’s gaze when he opened his eyes.

“Because spending the day listening to me spout feverish nonsense and puke my guts out probably isn’t the best way to endear you to me. And…” Blaine tilted his head as he looked helplessly at Kurt. “I really like you.”

Kurt smiled, a warmth spreading through his body despite the cool evening. “So you weren’t spouting nonsense, then.”

Blaine’s eyes widened. “Oh no, did I… What did I say?”

“Pretty much that you really liked me.”

Blaine grinned and looked down. “Well then, that’s okay. It’s true.”

“I like you too,” Kurt said for the second time that day, but this time he was one hundred percent more certain that Blaine would remember it. They settled back down, arms pressed close together, and looked up at the stars. Blaine’s hand found Kurt’s and he twined their fingers together.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Kurt remembered something else from Blaine’s fever dreams. “Can I ask you about something else you said?”

“Sure,” Blaine said, but Kurt could hear the hesitation in his voice, and he couldn’t bring himself to repeat Blaine’s painful pleas for help word for word.

“You, um, you were really upset, and you were holding your hand like this,” Kurt demonstrated, pressing his own hand to his chest as Blaine had been doing that morning, curled up on the floor and clearly having some kind of nightmare.

They were lying close enough together that Kurt could feel Blaine tense as he spoke. He wished he hadn’t let go of Blaine’s hand, as Blaine was now clasping his own hands together tightly across his chest.

“Yeah, that happens sometimes. I get flashbacks, bad dreams,” Blaine said softly.

This was the closest Blaine had come so far to explaining whatever it was that Sam kept hinting about, so Kurt went on, his voice as gentle as he could make it. “Flashbacks about what?”

Blaine shifted, his eyes finding Kurt’s, and he seemed to be considering what to say. After a few moments, he let out a long breath and grimaced. “It’s been so nice being with you this summer, not having you look at me like Sam and everyone else does. They’re always worrying about me, always trying to find some way to cheer me up. But you just,” Blaine’s voice cracked. “You just make me happy because you’re you. Promise me you won’t stop.”

Kurt felt a lump in his throat, but he didn’t really have any choice about what he was going to say. “I promise.”

Blaine leaned back, his eyes fixed on the sky, and let out a long breath before he began speaking. “Last January some friends and I went out dancing. When we left the club, most of the group headed in one direction, to a new bar they wanted to try. My friend Ben and I had early classes the next day, so we passed on the bar and started walking towards the subway. It was late, and we were being silly, laughing… he was teasing me about my red pants, making some flirty comment about my ass…” Blaine paused, and Kurt held his breath. He could tell what was coming.

“These three guys jumped us, beat the crap out of us. We both wound up with bruised ribs, concussions… it was an equal opportunity bashing. Except I made the mistake of reaching out for Ben, and one of the bastards stomped on my hand. Hard.” Blaine was clutching his left hand, then seemed to force himself to stop, and shook it out. 

“That’s terrible, Blaine,” Kurt said, gently putting a hand on Blaine’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry. Does it still hurt?” 

Blaine shook his head. “No. But… I’m a violinist. Or I was. After the attack, there were several surgeries, but… I can’t play any more. Not at the level that I used to.”

“That was what you studied at Julliard,” Kurt said, finally understanding.

Blaine nodded. “I’ve been playing since I was three. I love it. There’s nothing else like it… it’s all I’ve ever really wanted to do.” He grew quiet, but Kurt could see him pressing his lips together, his face crumpling.

“Come here,” he said softly, and turned to gather Blaine into a tight hug. Blaine fell into him, wrapping his arms around Kurt’s shoulders and tucking his face against his neck. “I’m so sorry,” Kurt said again, as Blaine started to cry. Kurt held him close, and rubbed circles on his back. Eventually Blaine calmed and pulled away, wiping at his face with his hand.

“Thanks,” Blaine said shyly, his voice rough. He sat up and looked around, still sniffling a little bit. “Everyone thought coming out here this summer would solve it all for me,” he scoffed. “No rehearsals, no music lessons, no reminders of what I’ve lost. But they don’t understand that it isn’t that easy. It’s not going to just go away.”

“It was your dream,” Kurt said, and Blaine locked his eyes on Kurt’s.

“It was.”

“People can have new dreams,” Kurt volunteered gently. “Or more than one.”

Blaine looked intensely at Kurt. “Sounds like you’ve thought about this before.”

Kurt shrugged. “I love NYADA, and I love performing. I always wanted to be on Broadway. But lately, it hasn’t been going so well for me. I can’t get any roles outside of school, and even when one comes up that I get close to, I’m not sure I’d even want to do it.” Being perennially typecast as the gay sidekick really wasn’t what Kurt had in mind for his life’s work.

“But you love it – performing?” Blaine asked.

“I do. But I also love fashion. I’ve been designing clothes and outfits ever since I can remember. I can lose myself in my sketchbook for hours. And my boss at Vogue.com thinks I could make a career out of it.”

“You work at Vogue?” Blaine asked, his eyes lighting up. “That’s awesome!”

“It’s just a part-time internship,” Kurt explained. “But it is pretty awesome.” He smiled. “And sometimes I get to wear the samples.”

“No way!”

“Yup. And you wouldn’t believe the designer pieces we get, and can’t even use. Somebody has to take care of them. They deserve to be worn – it’s their purpose in life.”

Blaine tilted his head, sizing up Kurt’s words. “So you love that too. Fashion.”

“I do,” Kurt said. “I’m not sure if I’m ready to give up performing for it – in fact, I’m sure I’m not ready to give up on performing yet. But if I decide to, Marc and Tom will be there for me.”

“Marc and Tom?”

“Jacobs and Ford,” Kurt replied, grinning.


	5. Chapter 5

A few days after his day on the boat with Blaine, Kurt bumped into Martin in his kitchen. Literally. The only thing that prevented an epic coffee disaster was the fact that Martin had already drained his mug before Kurt slammed into him.

“Whoa there, you okay?” Martin asked, smiling as he put down his coffee mug and held Kurt by the shoulders to steady him.

Kurt felt himself blushing as he apologized profusely, but Martin just laughed it off. Kurt had already been feeling guilty, however, and this just made it worse.

“What are you doing tomorrow night?” he asked, suddenly struck with an idea.

Martin looked a little confused, and then sat down at the table, patting the chair next to him until Kurt sat down too. “I’ll check my busy calendar, but I think I’m free. Why?”

“We could have a barbeque. I’ll do all the work, you just have to show up.”

“You don’t have to do that, Kurt.”

“I want to. I want to make it up to you – for me taking off the other day, for not being around. And then you can meet Blaine.”

Martin smiled. “You don’t have to make anything up to me, Kurt. It wasn’t as if we didn’t know where you were, thanks to the note you left me and Molly at the shop. You didn’t miss any work, you didn’t put me out. I want you to have a good time this summer, you know I do.”

“But, you do want to meet Blaine, right?”

Martin laughed. “Sure. I mean, I have met the boy several times down at the dock, but I wouldn’t mind getting to know him a little better. But…” Martin looked quizzically at Kurt. “You know you don’t have to formally introduce him to me or anything, right?”

Kurt buried his face in his hands. “I sound like an idiot, don’t I?” he muttered. “Bringing the guy home to meet the family.”

“You don’t sound like an idiot. But you are, what – twenty years old now? Been living on your own for a few years? Who you spend your time with is no business of mine,” Martin said gently. “Would your dad expect you to get his permission before you dated someone?”

Kurt sighed. “No, of course not. I just – I don’t really know how to do this.”

“To date?” Martin’s eyebrows went up. “And please don’t tell me you don’t date, you just ‘hook up,’” Martin said with a frown.

“No, I don’t just ‘hook up,’” Kurt said, _although if I did, I certainly wouldn’t admit it to you,_ he thought to himself. “But what I have with Blaine… this is… this is more than just dating, I think.” Kurt raised his eyes and saw Martin looking back at him encouragingly. “The way I feel about him is different than the guys I’ve dated before. I think with Blaine… it’s for real.”

“Well then, you should certainly invite your friend over for dinner,” Martin said. “I will endeavor to properly interrogate him in the manner of a 1950’s paterfamilias, and I promise not to let him leave the table until he has told me his intentions in adequate detail.”

“Uncle Martin, that is not at all what I meant.”

“No?”

“No, definitely not.” Kurt paused, replaying what Martin had said over in his mind. “And, obviously, you know Blaine isn’t just a ‘friend.’” 

“Yes, I would think that would be obvious from the whole dating conversation,” Martin said, humoring Kurt. “But then again, you haven’t exactly told me what to call him. What do the kids call it these days – is he your bae?”

“Oh my god, Uncle Martin,” Kurt said, as they both burst out laughing, the question tabled in favor of a discussion about what to cook tomorrow night.

It was true, they hadn’t put a label on their relationship yet. Kurt really hadn’t felt this way about anyone before. After Blaine’s performance at Rose Hill Manor, and during their evening talking on the boat, he felt a connection with Blaine that was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It wasn’t like his last relationship, where he spent every date wondering what to say next, and constantly quizzing himself on whether he actually felt anything or whether he was just biding his time. Blaine was so smart, and funny, and talented… not to mention ridiculously attractive, with his long lashes and cute polos stretching tight over his arms. He seemed to really get Kurt, to see him, and – fever babbling aside – to _like_ him. And there was no question at all about what Kurt felt for Blaine -- he was falling hard. 

*****

Blaine appeared at their door the next day, a plastic grocery bag in his hand and a broad smile on his face. 

Kurt pushed open the screen door to let him in, and Blaine brushed a quick kiss to his cheek. “Hi,” he said softly, a blush pinking over his tan. Kurt was fairly sure that he sported a matching color in his own cheeks. 

“Hi,” Kurt responded, taking the bag and peeking inside. “What’s this?”

“Pastries from Antonio’s,” Blaine replied, bouncing a little on his toes. Antonio’s was the Portuguese bakery on the island – Molly had introduced Kurt to their sweet bread and turnovers on his very first morning, and Kurt had to ration himself every day since then. There wasn’t supposed to be a “summer fifteen” and he hadn’t exactly been sticking to his workout schedule lately. “I got a few different things, I wasn’t sure what you guys would like.”

“Thank you, you didn’t have to do that,” Kurt said, smiling at Blaine and leading him into the kitchen. He couldn’t help but take a minute with Blaine before bringing him outside to meet his family. “Another from your collection?” he asked, running a finger over Blaine’s plaid bowtie, which somehow didn’t clash with his blue and yellow striped shirt and Kelly green pants – pants which fit Blaine quite a bit more snugly than his usual khaki shorts.

“One of many,” Blaine replied. “You like it?”

“I do.”

Blaine blushed again, and Kurt thought he was definitely going to make sure dinner wasn’t a drawn-out affair, because this boy was just too cute for words and he wanted him all to himself. “Come on, let’s go outside,” Kurt said.

As he turned to show Blaine through the house to the backyard, Blaine slid up behind him and put a warm hand on his waist, tucking a finger into his belt. “You look great tonight,” he said, his voice low.

Kurt slowed, turning to meet Blaine’s eyes. He had dressed up a little more than normal, squeezing into a pair of spectacular paisley pants, which he thought were balanced nicely by his thin cotton boatneck sweater. By the way Blaine was looking at him, he had succeeded at his goal. “Thank you,” he breathed out.

The mood was broken by Molly clearing her throat loudly.

“Molly, hi.” Blaine was the first to recover, but he didn’t move away from Kurt, just turned to smile at Molly with his hand still firmly on Kurt’s waist. “It’s good to see you. I was actually hoping to pick your brain on something tonight, if we get a minute.”

Now it was Molly’s turn to blush. Apparently Blaine had that effect on everyone. “Sure.”

“Dinner’s almost ready, kids,” Martin called from outside, and they proceeded out to the yard. Kurt had arranged a table and chairs some distance away from the house, with candles in jelly jars set around the patio and on the table. 

“Wow, this is beautiful,” Blaine said, taking in the grassy expanse of field, the stone fences still visible in the not quite darkness.

“Hi, Blaine, nice to see you again,” Martin said, waving from where he stood by the grill. “I think we’re about ready to go, as long as no one here likes their steak well done.”

“In which case you’ll have to grill it yourself, because my dad refuses to ruin a good steak,” Molly informed them.

As Blaine headed over to Martin and began talking to him about the shop, Kurt figured he could survive for a few minutes by himself, so he took everyone’s drink orders and went back inside to get the minted lemonade and peach iced tea he had prepared earlier. When he came out, Martin was bringing a tray of steak over to the table, and Molly was uncovering the plates of cheese and crackers and vegetables Kurt had set out before Blaine’s arrival.

“We only have a short window before the mosquitos attack,” she said, plopping herself down in a chair. “I thought we should just eat inside, but Kurt insisted this would be more romantic.”

Kurt promptly kicked her under the table, but Blaine just laughed. “It is definitely more romantic,” he said, flashing a smile at Kurt. “You guys have a lovely home. Thank you for having me over.” 

“You should thank Kurt, he did all the work,” Martin said. “Left to our own devices, Molly and I would be eating burgers in front of the television.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Blaine said lightly. “But this is pretty special, too.” He caught Kurt’s gaze again, and Kurt hoped he didn’t fall right out of his chair.

“I’m glad you think so,” Kurt responded.

“Let’s have a toast,” Martin said, raising his glass of tea. “To our very good fortune at being together tonight.”

“To summer adventures,” Molly said, a mischievous glint in her eye as she smirked at Kurt. 

Kurt chose to ignore her and take the high road. “To friends and family,” he said, letting his gaze move around the table, nervous as he took in Blaine’s face, his brown eyes sparkling with gold in the candlelight.

Blaine ducked his head for a moment, then sat up a little straighter and clinked his glass together with the others’. “To dreams, old and new.”

After their meal, remnants of éclairs and apple turnovers littering their plates, the three young people cleared the table while Martin fussed over the grill. Back in the kitchen, Molly announced that she was going to a friend’s house to watch a movie, and Martin volunteered to drive her over on the way to a card game. Before they knew it, Kurt and Blaine were alone.

“So…” Kurt began, suddenly feeling awkward, as they had come to the end of his well-planned agenda. Would it be out of line to just start the kissing now? He blushed despite himself as he imagined editing his list of tasks for the evening to add “ravish Blaine” to the end of it.

But Blaine either didn’t notice Kurt’s inner turmoil, or he was kind enough not to comment on it. “Will you show me around?” he asked. “The mosquitoes didn’t seem too bad.”

Kurt didn’t know if he was more disappointed or relieved that Blaine wanted to go outside, but he nodded and they went out back again. He took Blaine’s hand, and got a squeeze and a smile in return, so he relaxed and walked Blaine around the property, the fireflies lighting their way.

“When it’s light out, you can see horses in the field over there,” Kurt pointed, “and there’s a ton of honeysuckle running all along this wall.”

“Mmm, I can smell it,” Blaine said, taking an appreciative sniff, eyes closing and lashes fanning over his cheeks. “This place really is beautiful, isn’t it?” he said, open his eyes and looking up at the sky.

“It really is. I’m so glad I decided to come out here for the summer.”

Blaine took a step closer to Kurt, and Kurt held his breath, aware for a moment only of the feel of Blaine’s hand in his, and the moonlight reflecting in his eyes. Then they were kissing, and if Kurt had forgotten to breathe before, now he was sure there was no need for air at all. Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt’s shoulders, and Kurt laced his around Blaine’s waist, and they swayed together for a blissful period measured only in firefly flashes. 

Finally they pulled apart, both breathless, and Blaine leaned his forehead against Kurt’s. “I’m really glad you decided to come out here, too,” Blaine said softly. Kurt felt his heart pound in response, and he sighed as he lay his head on Blaine’s shoulder. _To summer adventures, and dreams, and love,_ he thought to himself. _Definitely love._


	6. Chapter 6

The next few weeks went by in a blur of foggy mornings on the dock, sunny afternoons on the beach, and moonlit evenings with Blaine. Blaine, who was turning out to be so much more than the self-assured, smile-filled cutie Kurt had first seen on the dock that early summer day. The more Kurt got to know him, the more Kurt understood that underneath all the confidence and hair gel, Blaine was just like him – a boy trying to figure out who he was, regardless of how the world saw him. 

Kurt almost couldn’t believe how well things were going between them. They saw each other as much as they could, although that wasn’t nearly often enough for Kurt, especially since Blaine was often gone for days at a time sailing with the Lynns. Kurt was sitting in his uncle’s shop organizing paperwork, daydreaming about where he and Blaine should go when Blaine got back from Mr. Lynn’s latest adventure (that secluded make-out cove Molly had mentioned was beginning to sound pretty good to him), when his phone dinged with a text.

**From Blaine: Change of plans, coming back earlier. Are you free tonight?**

Kurt could feel the grin spread across his face. Maybe he wouldn’t have to wait until tomorrow to see Blaine.

They decided to meet in town that evening, after Kurt had finished his shift and stopped at home to change. It was a cool and drizzly day, which didn’t do his hair any favors, but that wasn’t going to stop him from trying to look his best.

Kurt couldn’t stop smiling as he drove the truck in to town. As much as he had been willing to spend some time working on his upcoming show at school, spending the evening with Blaine was definitely going to be more fun. He easily found a parking space behind the row of stores and restaurants that faced the ocean. There was definitely something to be said for a place where parking was always free, you could get pretty much anywhere in ten minutes, and the closest thing to rush hour was when the ferry arrived with a new pack of tourists. 

Kurt walked past a candy shop and the toy store that always had colorful kites flying from its front porch, and then caught sight of Blaine as he turned the corner. Blaine was standing in front of the movie theater, running his fingers through his hair, trying to tame his curls. He was adorable, if a little reminiscent of a drenched puppy. Blaine had clearly decided against any product today – either that, or the rain that had been falling off and on all day had already washed it out. 

“Hi, Kurt!” Blaine’s face lit up when he saw him.

“Hi yourself,” Kurt said, smiling, and pressed a quick kiss to Blaine’s cold cheek. “You look great, by the way.” He couldn’t help reaching up to push a wayward curl away from Blaine’s face, loving the way Blaine turned into his touch.

Blaine smiled shyly. “My hair gets a little out of control sometimes.” 

“Must have been some sail today.”

Blaine nodded. “It was a little crazy. The wind was wild, and there were some pretty big swells out there.” He let out a deep breath and smiled. “I’m really glad we came back early.”

Kurt figured by the look in his eyes that Blaine wasn’t merely referring to being on dry land. “Me too.” But behind his cheerful smile, something about Blaine seemed to be off. He couldn’t place it. “Everything okay? We should probably get our tickets.” He held out his hand, and Blaine took it, weaving their fingers together. 

“Yeah, no, I’m good.” Blaine wasn’t completely convincing, but Kurt wasn’t sure what else to do about it. Maybe he was just imagining things.

“This place is a classic, you know,” Kurt commented. “It’s been around since the late 1800’s.”

Blaine glanced up at the unassuming building as they joined the ticket line. “Did they even have movies then?”

Kurt grinned. “Smart ass. Martin said it was originally used for roller skating before it was a theater. When he used to come here as a kid, people would bring pillows to sit on, because the seats were so uncomfortable.”

Blaine shot Kurt a questioning look, and he laughed. “It’s been renovated since then. I think we’ll be okay.”

The theater was actually pretty crowded, and although the comedy was a crowd-pleaser, Kurt couldn’t help but think that watching movies with Blaine on a laptop back at his house would have been more fun. Not just because they could kiss and cuddle, of course, but also so that they could have some time to just be together and talk. It was frustrating, this whole having jobs and commitments thing that kept both of them occupied. But Kurt had a plan.

As they exited the movie theater, he pulled Blaine aside. “So, I know we talked about going out for ice cream. But I’ve actually got a pretty good supply of sundae options at home, if you wanted to come back to the house with me.”

Blaine tilted his head, his eyes wandering to the bustling sweet shop across the street, filled with chattering couples and children up past their bedtimes, and then back to Kurt. “It would be good to be somewhere we could hear ourselves think.” A nervous look flickered over his face. “Won’t we disturb your family? It’s getting kind of late.”

“I think it’ll be okay.” He was almost certain, in fact, that both Molly and Martin were out tonight, but he couldn’t bring himself to say that to Blaine. There was flirty, and then there was forward, and Kurt was never quite sure where the line was with Blaine.

Because despite spending as much time as they possibly could with each other this summer, their physical relationship really hadn’t progressed any further than a momentarily heated makeout session. At first Kurt simply found this charming. It was a refreshing change from some of the boys he had met in college who seemed to think one dance at a club was an invitation to a blowjob in the bathroom. And he really hadn’t wanted to jump into a relationship this summer – at least, not before he met Blaine. But now he was beginning to wonder if something else was going on.

Kurt didn’t really doubt that Blaine was attracted to him. Even putting aside the sweet things he said at every opportunity, the way Blaine’s eyes grew dark and his breath quickened when they were together didn’t leave much question on that subject. But at some point Blaine always pulled back, a soft smile on his face, and an apologetic look in his eyes. 

Kurt pushed these thoughts aside as they drove back to his uncle’s house, Blaine following him in the car he had borrowed from Ryder. As predicted, no one else was home. Blaine seemed almost surprised when Kurt actually started pulling caramel and chocolate sauce out of the cabinet.

“What, did you think that was just a line?” he asked, indicating where Blaine could find the bowls.

Blaine just blushed and shook his head, turning his attention to carving perfect round scoops out of the rock hard container of vanilla Kurt took out of the freezer.

They brought their treats into the family room, facing each other cross legged on the couch, but it wasn’t long before the ice cream was set aside and they were snuggled closer, trading caramel flavored kisses. Kurt leaned back against the arm of the couch, gently tugging at Blaine until he was lying next to him, his chest pressed against Kurt’s side. Blaine began dropping soft kisses down Kurt’s neck, and Kurt had to stifle a whine at how good it felt. 

He ran his hand up and down Blaine’s back, and then up and under his shirt, which had conveniently come untucked. It was lovely to feel Blaine’s warm skin, and his muscles moving as Blaine reached to slide his fingers into Kurt’s hair. Kurt could feel himself getting deliciously worked up, his breath coming faster now. 

Kurt couldn’t help it when his hips bucked up against Blaine, who immediately froze.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” Kurt said breathlessly, pulling back to try to see Blaine’s face. “Too much?”

But Blaine just dug his face into Kurt’s neck and didn’t reply. Kurt could feel his breath hot against his skin. He kept his hand moving along Blaine’s back, trying to soothe him as they both took a moment to cool off.

“There’s something I have to tell you,” Blaine finally said, rolling away from Kurt and sitting up, his hands pressed against his knees.

“Blaine?” Kurt sat up too. “What’s wrong? It’s okay if we don’t do more, it really is-”

“No, that’s not it, it’s not about… there’s something else. I feel terrible - I should have told you earlier, but I didn’t want to ruin our date night.”

 _Should have told me earlier?_ Kurt’s mind raced with all the miserable ways this conversation could go. Did Blaine actually have a boyfriend back home? Was he actually engaged to Ryder, through an arranged marriage their families had set up before he was born in order to continue their preppy dynasties? Was he the son of a mob boss who insisted that he only marry a made man? 

Kurt forced himself to focus, but the sight of Blaine’s scrunched up face and hunched shoulders wasn’t very reassuring. _Please god, don’t let this be about something horrible that happened to Blaine, _Kurt suddenly thought, his stomach clenching in pain.__

__“It’s okay, whatever it is,” Kurt said softly, reaching over to take one of Blaine’s hands from where they were clenched on his thighs. “And you don’t have to tell me, if you don’t want to.”_ _

__Blaine slowly looked up. “No, I really do have to.” He let out a sad chuckle. “And it’s not bad, not really, I’m just… Okay, here goes.” Blaine took a deep breath. “This past semester, since I couldn’t play my violin, I spent a lot of time with one of the professors at Julliard who teaches voice, and took some classes in his department. Technically the classes were electives for me, since I was still a violin major. I auditioned for the vocal program in the spring.”_ _

__Well, this wasn’t at all where Kurt had thought this conversation was going. But it sounded like a reasonable strategy for Blaine. Kurt hadn’t been exaggerating when he told Blaine that he was a much better vocalist than many of his NYADA classmates._ _

__“I got an email from Julliard today…” Blaine went on, raising his eyes to meet Kurt’s. “I got in.”_ _

__“Blaine, that’s wonderful!” Kurt scooted over and wrapped Blaine in a hug. “Really, that’s great, I’m so happy for you. Congratulations!”_ _

__“Thanks,” Blaine said nervously as Kurt let him go._ _

__“You are happy about this, right?”_ _

__Blaine sucked in a long breath, and let it out slowly. “Yeah, I am. Mostly. It’s kind of hard, because it feels like I’m giving up on the violin, and that’s something I wanted for so long. It was a part of me, you know?”_ _

__Kurt nodded._ _

__“But someone told me you could have more than one dream, and I think he was right.”_ _

__Kurt smiled. “Must be a smart guy.”_ _

__“I think so.”_ _

__But Blaine still seemed unsettled. Maybe this was why he hadn’t said anything earlier. “What is it?” Kurt asked, sitting back. “Something’s still wrong.”_ _

__“Well, yeah.” Blaine sighed. “They want me to do some extra work before the semester starts, put in some time with the professor I was working with, and try out with a jazz quartet from the school who needs a vocalist.”_ _

__“That doesn’t sound bad – you like jazz, right?”_ _

__Blaine nodded. “I do, and this is a really good group – it will be awesome to sing with them, if they like me. But…” Blaine paused, his eyes leaving Kurt’s. “They want me there on Monday.”_ _

__“Monday?” Today was Thursday. “You mean, next Monday? Four days from now, Monday?”_ _

__Blaine nodded sadly. “Mr. Lynn is sailing to Newport tomorrow afternoon, assuming the weather’s okay. I’ll go with him and take the train from there into the city.”_ _

__Kurt felt a lump in his throat. Blaine was leaving tomorrow?_ _

__Blaine reached out to take his hand. “I’m really sorry. I had no idea this was going to happen,” Blaine said, his voice rough. “I thought about telling them I had to stay through the end of the summer, that I had a commitment to Mr. Lynn, but if I do the quartet will almost certainly find someone else, and I don’t want to piss off my teachers before the semester even starts…”_ _

__Kurt blinked hard, and tried to put things in perspective. He was going back to New York himself in just a little over three weeks anyway. What was a few weeks apart in the context of what he hoped was going to be a very long and happy time together?_ _

__“No, you’ll do no such thing,” he said, clearing his throat as he went on. “Of course you’re going back when they want you to. This is important for you, for your studies and your career.”_ _

__Blaine nodded. If anything, he looked even sadder at Kurt’s words. “Yeah, I know.” He shrugged sadly, then stood up. “I should probably go.”_ _

__“Already?”_ _

__Blaine glanced at his watch and smiled ruefully. “It’s almost midnight.”_ _

__“You aren’t going to turn into a pumpkin though, right?” Kurt hoped injecting a little humor into the situation would help – his mind was spinning too quickly to think of a better strategy._ _

__“The launch stops running at one, and I’ve got to pack.”_ _

__“Can you come back tomorrow, before you leave?”_ _

__Blaine swallowed hard, and then nodded. “I’ll come tomorrow morning, first thing.”_ _

__“I’ll be on the dock early. With coffee.” Coffee would help. Coffee always helped._ _

__Blaine nodded again. “Okay.”_ _

__Kurt pushed himself off the couch and walked Blaine to the door. Blaine opened his mouth as if to say something else to Kurt, then seemed to change his mind. With a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, Blaine was gone._ _

__Later that night, Kurt lay awake in bed, his thoughts racing. Why had Blaine been so reluctant to tell him the news about Julliard? Sure, it was disappointing that he had to go back to the city early, but Blaine knew Kurt would be going back soon, too. Did he think Kurt would be mad at him for leaving?  
Or was he just upset because this emphasized what he had lost, that he wouldn’t be able to study violin the way he had always wanted to? _ _

__Over the past few weeks Kurt had come to understand that that polished, confident figure who made the crowd swoon at Rose Hill Manor wasn’t the real Blaine, or, at least, not the whole Blaine. Inside was a much more vulnerable person. Kurt realized that most people didn’t get to know this Blaine – but Blaine had let him in, let him see the parts of himself he wasn’t as comfortable with, and Kurt thought it had just brought them closer._ _

__Despite these insights, Kurt had the distinct feeling that he was missing something._ _

__*****  
The next morning dawned bright and sunny, as if to mock the churning disquiet in Kurt’s stomach. He got to the boatyard before seven o’clock and parked himself on the dock with a book, determined to be there when Blaine arrived. If Mr. Lynn was really planning on sailing to Newport today, he and Blaine probably wouldn’t have much time to talk before Blaine had to get back to the boat. _ _

__The chug of an outboard motor jogged Kurt out of his daze, and he looked up to see Sam and Blaine pulling up to the dock._ _

__“Hey guys,” Kurt said lamely, reaching out to take the line as Sam edged the dingy up to the dock._ _

__“Thank, Sam, I’ll take the launch back,” Blaine said, climbing out of the boat. Sam gave Kurt a small smile and a halfhearted wave, then turned the dinghy around and headed off._ _

__Blaine straightened up, smoothing his hands over his thighs, and stood stiffly beside Kurt, his sunglasses hiding his eyes._ _

__“Is it a uniform day?” Kurt asked, noting Blaine’s royal blue polo, tucked neatly into pleated khaki shorts, and his tightly gelled down hair._ _

__Blaine just shrugged. “It’s my last day. Seemed appropriate.”_ _

__Kurt was dying to hug Blaine, but he could read his body language pretty well by now, and it was clear that a hug might not be welcome. But he had to do something. Kurt picked up their cups of coffee and handed one to Blaine. “Come on, let’s go sit on the beach and drink these before they get cold.”  
Blaine didn’t object, and followed him off the dock. Kurt led them down the shore for a few minutes, finding a quiet spot where the sand wasn’t too wet, up by where the dunes began. He sat down and Blaine sat next to him, staring off into the harbor. Kurt’s stomach ached._ _

__“Blaine?” he asked softly, shuffling closer and crossing his legs. “What’s wrong?”_ _

__Blaine turned towards Kurt, biting his lip, but still didn’t say anything. Kurt reached up and gently slid Blaine’s sunglasses off his head. From the state of Blaine’s eyes, he had clearly been crying._ _

__“Please, talk to me,” Kurt said. “I don’t understand.”_ _

__Blaine turned towards Kurt, blinking quickly in that way Kurt had learned meant he was nervous. “I’m sorry, I’m just not very good with goodbyes.”_ _

__Kurt stared at Blaine, still not quite sure he was following. “Goodbye? This is hardly goodbye.” Kurt tried to keep his voice light, and reached out to take Blaine’s hand. “I mean, it’s not as if you’re going on a year long whaling expedition. Unless Mr. Lynn’s boat capsizes on the scary seas of Long Island Sound, we’ll see each other again soon.”_ _

__A look of surprise came over Blaine’s face. “Wait, really?”_ _

__“Um, yes? I do have two more years of NYADA. Which, the last time I checked, was in New York City. Same place as Julliard, give or take a few miles. Unless NYADA set up a London campus without telling me, which would actually be really great, although it would make it harder to go on dates with you-”_ _

__Kurt was interrupted by a lapful of Blaine, who knocked him back on the sand and proceeded to give him one of the most enthusiastic kisses he had ever received. “Kurt, really?” Blaine pulled back, his eyes fixing on Kurt’s. “You still want to stay together?”_ _

__“Of course, you crazy person,” Kurt said, barely getting a chance to get the words out before Blaine was on him again, kissing him fervently and wrapping his arms around him. Kurt didn’t even care about the fact that his hair was going to be full of sand, not with the way Blaine was sucking kisses into his neck, Blaine’s whole body pressed up against him, Kurt writhing helplessly underneath him._ _

__On a public beach. At eight in the morning._ _

__“Mmm, Blaine,” Kurt said reluctantly, “hey, I think we should…”_ _

__Blaine blinked hard, his mouth still hanging open, and then blushed furiously. “I’m sorry, I forgot where we were.” He sat up, but tugged at Kurt’s arm until he sat up too, and wrapped his arms tight around Kurt’s shoulders. “I’m just so happy.”_ _

__“Me too.” They continued to kiss, Blaine shaking his head as he dragged his fingers through Kurt’s hair and sand scattered down his back._ _

__Kurt still couldn’t believe that Blaine had assumed they would break up. Clearly assuming had done what it always tended to do. He wished Blaine had just said something… of course, he hadn’t done a very good job of speaking his mind, either. Maybe now was the time to start._ _

__“Blaine? Can I ask you something?”_ _

__“Of course.”_ _

__“It’s kind of hard to say…” Blaine was gazing calmly at him, his face open and relaxed. Just say it, Kurt told himself. “Just now, when we were… you seemed more willing to, uh, continue. And don’t get me wrong, that was fine, I’m totally okay with whatever you want, whatever speed… but… did something change?”_ _

__The look on Blaine’s face was priceless, and Kurt rushed to reassure him. “I mean, this was awesome, and if you have a thing for morning sex I can definitely work with that, at least when we’re somewhere more private, but I think maybe we need to talk about it some more, because until just now--”_ _

__“Oh my god, Kurt, I’m such an idiot,” Blaine interrupted him, burying his face in his hands._ _

__“You’re not an idiot,” Kurt replied. “Well, maybe a little. But a sexy idiot.”_ _

__“I can explain,” Blaine said, looking at Kurt from between his fingers._ _

__“Okay, go ahead.” Kurt pulled Blaine’s hands away from his face, and held them in his lap._ _

__“All right, well, remember when you said that you came out to the island to get away from all the stress and drama with everyone, and just relax for a while? And then you told me you had a bad breakup? I figured that meant you really weren’t looking for a relationship.”_ _

__“I might not have been looking for one, but I’m thrilled to have found one,” Kurt said softly, loving the flash of happiness on Blaine’s face he got in response._ _

__“Me too. And I’m glad I was wrong. But given what you said, I figured it was just better that we didn’t get too… physical.”_ _

__“Protecting my honor?” Kurt wasn’t sure how he felt about that._ _

__Blaine huffed out an embarrassed laugh. “No, actually. I imagine you can take care of yourself. I was more worried about me.”_ _

__“What do you mean?”_ _

__“I get really attached to people. And I was already falling so hard for you, Kurt.” Blaine caught Kurt’s eyes. “If we had gone further, and then this was just a summer fling, I would have been wrecked.”_ _

__“Oh, sweetheart,” Kurt couldn’t help the endearment as he laced his arms around Blaine’s neck and gave him a kiss. “I promise it’s not just a summer fling. Or a hookup, or a five-week stand, or anything like that.”_ _

__Blaine ducked his head and nodded, his gelled hair sticky against Kurt’s cheek. “I get that now. It’s my fault, too, we didn’t ever really define it.”_ _

__“I know, that was pretty stupid of us.” Kurt sat back, knowing he only had a few more minutes with Blaine. “We should probably work on our communication skills.”_ _

__“Ugh, we’ll have plenty of time for talking. At least when I’m off the island my cell phone reception will be better.”_ _

__Kurt groaned. “I don’t want you to leave.”_ _

__“I don’t want to go.” Blaine looked at his watch. “But I have to.” He stood up, and held out a hand to pull Kurt to his feet. “I’m sorry I was such a mess.”_ _

__“Don’t apologize. I’m glad we talked.”_ _

__“Better late than never?” Blaine joked, looking up at Kurt through his long lashes._ _

__“Exactly.”_ _

__As they walked back, Kurt realized what it was that needed to be said. He paused as they reached the dock, taking Blaine’s hands and looking into his eyes. “Blaine, what we have together – this is great. Really great. I’m definitely glad it’s not ending.”_ _

__Blaine smiled brightly, like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. “I couldn’t agree more. I don’t want it to ever end.”_ _

__“So, to be clear,” Kurt grinned, acknowledging the inherent cheesiness in his question, “will you be my boyfriend, Blaine?”_ _

__Although it didn’t seem possible, Blaine’s smile grew even brighter, and then he leaned in and pressed a sweet kiss to Kurt’s lips. “I will.”_ _

___(Years later, when the time came to pick a song for the first dance at their wedding, the Beatles’ “I Will” was the obvious choice.)_ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading - please leave a comment and let me know how you liked it!


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